Dr Joe Abah discloses FG saved N628bn in Seven Years from BPP’s Procurements Audits...

Director General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), Dr. Joe Abba

Through periodic audits of the various procurement processes of the federal government’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) had in the last seven years saved the government N628 billion that could have been spent uneconomically by its MDAs, the Director General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), Dr. Joe Abba disclosed on Wednesday.

Abba said at the commemoration of the day set aside by the United Nations (UN) to mark the international day of anti-corruption, in Abuja that in 2014 alone, the BPP was able to shave off from the various procurement plans of the MDAs N98 billion.

His disclosure came alongside Vice President Yemi Osibanjo’s statement at the occasion that the government was already mulling a new legislation that will provide protective cover for citizens who undertake acts of ‘whistle blowing’ to expose corrupt acts and persons in government and businesses in the country.

The anti-corruption day seminar was organised by the Inter-Agency Task Team (IMTT) which is housed through the presidency by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).

Abba however said that through careful audits of all federal MDAs procurement exercises, the BPP has since 2009 ensured that incidences of uneconomic procurements are curtailed.

He added that President Muhammadu Buhari has also directed that all queries on procurement audits issued by the BPP to any government MDAs must be answered within 24 hours of such issuance.

According to him, the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) which is domiciled in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) and centralises the database system for Nigerian public service with single, accurate source of employees’ information to prevent wastage and leakages in staff remuneration has also contributed in keeping government’s funds from being filtered away.

THISDAY