Umahi seek collaboration with BPP to curb project execution delays

David Umahi, minister of Works has began talks with the management of the Bureau of Public Procurement. (BPP) on the need to ensure seamless bureaucracies in public procurement processes to aid efficient and timely delivery of infrastructure projects across the country.

Umahi who met with Adebowale Adedokun, Director-General, Bureau of Public Procurement in Abuja, noted that for the works sector to achieve greater prospects in innovation, efficiency, and economy in the road infrastructure revolution agenda of the present administration, there must be a deliberate effort to remove all bureaucratic constraints to project evaluation by the Bureau of Public Procurement.

He noted the core mandates of the Bureau, which among others are to foster accountability, consistency in pricing, effectiveness in contract execution, and value for money, and urged them to see delay as one of the greatest inhibitors of the objectives of the establishment of the Bureau.

“We seek closer cooperation and collaboration to enable the Ministry to fastrack delivery of the road infrastructure projects inherited and those initiated by the Renewed Hope administration.When we came on board, we insisted on best practices, and we introduced innovations to ensure we give Nigerians enduring road infrastructure that is fit for purpose. We therefore need a collaborative resolve to end unnecessary delays in the procurement processes,” he said.

He pointed out that different procurement methods, including restrictive, selective, and competitive bidding measures, are geared towards achieving value for money and effective service delivery to Nigerians.

In his remarks, Adebowale Adedokun, Director-General, Bureau of Public Procurement, commended the Minister for the purposeful initiatives of the Federal Ministry of Works under his watch and assured him of enhanced synergies with the Ministry.

He said, “The interesting thing about you is that you don’t fail in your duty, which I have observed. You start, you end with something that is unique about you, and you’re passionate about what you want to do. We are glad when you extended the invitation for us to come here. We know you see BPP as a worthy partner towards ensuring that Mr. President’s objectives in respect of road infrastructure are achieved timely, transparently, and well-accounted.

“We are here to hear your challenges, and for you to also hear our own challenges and reach an understanding of how to make sure we work together to achieve the same goal for logical completion. From my experience in this job over the years, works is an arm of government that Nigerians see every day. They talk about it every day. If there is the agency or Parastatal or Ministry that if things fail, then all Nigerians will shout against Mr. President, it is the Ministry of Works.

“So we place serious premium on closely working with you to ensure we deliver on the mandates in a way that value for money is achieved, in a way that sustainability of what we have on ground is improved upon and even the quality of the roads that we deliver. I think our partnership with you, Your Excellency, is that the quality of the roads that we see must return back to the days when we constructed a road that 25 years later is still intact.”