The Yobe Government says it has saved over N5 billion in the last two years from contract vetting by the state Bureau for Public Procurement.
Alhaji Samaila Mai-Adamu, the Director-General of the bureau, disclosed this at the opening of a two-day workshop on procurement tools organised for state officials on Thursday in Damaturu.
According to him, the establishment of the bureau in 2016 had saved the state the sum of over N5 billion through vetting of contracts and curtailing over invoicing.
The director-general said the workshop would strengthen the capacity of officials on compliance with due process in government expenditure and to get value for money.
He said efforts are underway to establish procurement cadre in the state civil service to promote best standard practice.
Gov. Mai Mala Buni said his administration was committed to the “principles of probity, accountability and transparency in government spending’’.
“This workshop will instil proper understanding of the procurement principles, processes and procedures as well as award of contracts and their execution,” he said.
The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Alhaji Idi Barde, said the training would improve the capacity of officers to check “unnecessary expenditure and spending’’.
“This noble initiative of the Bureau, no doubt will address the problems associated with poor quality of contract execution, over invoicing, diversion of funds, misappropriation and revenue leakages,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop was organised for members of the state assembly, permanent secretaries, chairmen of commissions, chief executives of boards and parastatals, among others.
