The Lagos State Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola, on Wednesday, stressed the need for Accounting Officers of MDAs in the State to faithfully implement the Procurement Plans of their MDAs and carry out the roles assigned to them under the Lagos State Public Procurement Law to ensure that the public procurement system continues to work for the benefit of all in Lagos.
The Head of Service stated this in a keynote address delivered at the Year 2023 Annual Procurement Planning Clinic organised by the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency for Procuring Entities in the public service of the State.
The Head of Service, who was represented at the occasion by the Permanent Secretary, Public Service Office, Office of the Head of Service, Mrs. Olasunkanmi Oyegbola, further stated that all hands must be on deck to ensure that Procurement Plans of MDAs are properly developed so as to enable the Administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to continue to deliver quality goods and services to every nook and cranny of the State.
Mr. Muri-Okunola noted that the Agency has redefined public procurement and the conduct of Government business in the State, particularly in the areas of accountability, transparency and enhanced value for money in Government expenditure.
Pointing out that the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency had come “to stay”, the Head of Service enjoined the members of the Governing Board and the management of the Agency “to keep up the good work that they have done so far” so that the Agency could continue to be a model and a reference point among Public Procurement Agencies across the Nigerian Federation.
In his welcome address, the Director-General of the Agency, Mr. Fatai Idowu Onafowote, warned that the Agency would no longer process the requests for approval instruments from Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the State Government that fail to submit their Procurement Plan for the scrutiny and approval of the Agency.
Stressing the importance of having a good Procurement Plan for the successful implementation of the budget, Onafowote, therefore, appealed to Accounting Officers of MDAs of the State to ensure that the Procurement Plans of their MDAs pass through the scrutiny of the Agency and uploaded on the Agency’s website.
The Director-General also noted that all hands must be on deck to ensure that the Procurement Plans of MDAs are properly developed and implemented so that the objectives envisioned in the approved budget could be fully achieved.
He explained that the Procurement Planning Clinic is organised “annually to ensure that the Procurement Plans of MDAs align with the budgetary provisions and the objectives of the State Government” in each financial year, adding that this was the reason why “Procurement Planning Clinic for Budget of Continuity” was chosen as the theme for this year to reflect the focus of the approved budget of the State.
Mr. Onafowote also revealed that the State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, had granted approval for the integration of all the General Hospitals in the State, the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) and four other MDAs on the e-Procurement platform of the State.
The Director-General pointed out that with the impending integration of the healthcare facilities on the e-Procurement platform, “a new dawn is about to set in in the health sector of the State as the new system will enhance transparency and accountability in the management of the resources in the sector”.
He, however, assured stakeholders in the health sector that in recognition of the peculiar environment in which the sector operates, particularly with regard to emergency procurement, the Agency would make special provisions to accommodate the peculiar nature of the sector and enhance the service delivery of the sector to the public.
Mr. Onafowote also disclosed that the LASRERA Permit would henceforth be demanded as a post-qualification requirement from developers, organisations and individuals operating in the real estate sector in the State.
This, according to him, is aimed at curbing the unwholesome and corrupt practices that are prevalent in the sector, thereby sanitising the sector of charlatans and impostors masquerading as property developers and real estate consultants in the State.
The high point of the event was the unveiling of the 9th edition of the Procurement Journal by the representative of the Head of Service, Mrs. Olasunkanmi Oyegbola, supported by a member of the Governing Board of the Agency, Mr. Foluso Mustapha, the Director-General of the Agency, Mr. Fatai Idowu Onafowote and other dignitaries.
