Kwara state Commissioner for Finance and Planning, Mrs. Florence Oyeyemi Olasumbo said last week that efforts must be made to work for emergence of  a procurement system that will result in sustainable small, medium and micro businesses that will ensure enhanced economic and social well-being of Kwarans has become important and necessary.

While giving her speech at the opening ceremony of   a 2-day Workshop organized for Small, Medium and Enterprises (SMEs) on procurement guidelines by the newly established; Kwara state Public Procurement Agency,  at the  multipurpose Hall of Roemichs International School, Ilorin, Oyeyemi  said the public procurement agency was established to promote probity and equip the small, medium and enterprises (SMEs) to win and execute government contracts.

The workshop that has as its theme ‘Invigorating Public Procurement Process-During COVID-19 Pandemic’ was organized by the Ministry of Finance and Planning in partnership with the Public Procurement Agency.

She stated the commitment of the state government to seamless public procurement practices, review of edicts while adding that the establishment of the Public Procurement Agency will get every activity   that has to do with bidding process centralized.

The step taken by the state government was according to her part of the post -covid19 economy recovery plan to strengthen the ‘local’ contractors.

‘Prior to now, Nigeria was among the few African countries without legislation on public procurement, but today, the story is totally different.

It is this direction that kwara state government is following by putting in place all the necessary structures and regulatory authorities responsible for the monitoring and oversight of Public Procurement.

This government has taken this bold step to establish the agency in order to promote an era of seamless public procurement, probity and accountability in doing government business. This is one of the promises the Executive Governor of Kwara state, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq made to the good people of the state’ she said.

The coronavirus impact on SMEs has no doubt resulted in cash flow issues and lack of financial strength.

The workshop was therefore held to provide a platform   for educating people on how to plan for the  post -covid19 period, how to apply for tender,  tendering strategies, steps in the bid process and  everything they ought to know about tendering process.

A resource person; Surveyor  AbdulRahman Toyin Jimoh from  the University of Ilorin, who provided needed information to  the  participants on the four stages of bidding process; Pre-qualification, qualification, Tendering and Post – qualification also  said  the establishment of the agency  has confirmed  the commitment of the Abdulrahman  Abdulrazaq  administration to transparent governance.  He advised contractors to study conditions of the calls for tenders before applying saying ‘you should assess the conditions if you are not qualified, don’t show interest’.

He also said it is important for  companies that  are into contract business to employ qualified people  while also  submitting that government should not be blamed by any company that does not get considered for a  job   as such a company  must have according to him  obviously failed to meet the statutory and the non-statutory  requirements.

Also speaking, Commissioner for Enterprise, Alhaji AbdulWahab Agbaje, who asserted that   there cannot be economic development without the SMEs cognizant that they are involved in economic activities that bring results also referred to them as risk bearers.

He said it has become necessary to ensure they get required information and the needed encouragement.

Commissioner for Health, Dr Raji Abdulrazaq , who said the establishment of the Public Procurement  Agency and organization of the workshop are geared towards the implementation of the  manifesto  policy of the current administration  to   reduce the gap between the  rich and the poor by empowering  the ‘middle class’  through the SMEs  also added that efforts are being made to do things differently.

Giving his speech, the pioneer General Manager of the Public  Procurement Agency,  Alhaji Ibrahim Baki  who  said  the agency will work towards having  a data base of suppliers , consultants and contractors  and ensure proper dissemination of information also said  the absence of public procurement law   had hitherto allowed  corruption in  the procurement process .

The establishment of the agency will also according to him help to create a platform for dispute resolution.

Baki , who recalled that  the proposal for the  establishment of  the agency  had  though been approved on 20th of August 2018 it however according to him  took  a governor who has the political will in the person of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to   establish the agency and also allow it to  operate independently.

He disclosed that the governor has also bought into the idea of reducing proposal and bid costs in the state.

A participant, who is also the Chairperson of Network of Entrepreneurial Women, (NNEW), Kwara state, Dr. Yemisi Adeyeye commended the state government for showing commitment to building the capacity of young entrepreneurs and for also easing  things for them.