BPP to bar contractors not captured on database

The Bureau of Public Procurement has said that it will soon
exclude contractors not captured in its database from the patronage
of the Federal Government and its agencies.

The Director-General of the BPP, Mr. Mamman Ahmadu, who said
this in an interview with journalists at a ceremony to commemorate
the 2017 International Anti-Corruption Day in Abuja on Monday, also
disclosed that that the bureau had already captured 50,000
contractors in its database.

Ahmadu, who was represented by the Director of Energy at the
BPP, Mr. Babatunde Kuye, at the event, said the best way to fight
corruption was by preventing it before it occurred.

He said as soon as the database was completed, any company or
entity not found on the database would not be able to have access
to government jobs.

According to him, no organisation will also get government
contract unless it has demonstrated that in the past it had done
similar jobs.

He added that any company seeking government job must also
fulfil all requirements in terms of payment of taxes and sticking
to due process.

The BPP boss said that the government needed to strengthen the
process of procurement in the fight against corruption because most
corruption cases were perpetrated in the process of
procurement.

He said the database would eliminate the incidence of ghost
contractors as well as briefcase contractors, leaving the scene for
credible organisations that would execute government contracts in
accordance with stipulated standards.

He said, “As we talk, we already have 50,000 contractors who
have started registration on this system. Once it is fully finished
and approved, if you are not on that database, you may not be able
to do any contract with government.

“The database is going to be an open database available to
anybody anywhere in the world. What this means is that if you win a
contract, people will be able to go to that system to know if you
have the capacity to win that kind of job. It is all about
transparency and accountability.

“Our position on anti-corruption has always been clear; the best
way to fight corruption is to prevent corruption. It is cheaper; it
does not come with the emotion of people going through trial and
prosecution.”

He added, “Public procurement is an avenue where most of the
corruption cases in public organisations are perpetrated as we have
seen in all the trials of corruption going on and our position is
to see if we can improve in everything that can prevent corruption;
it will solve most of the problems that we have.

“Essentially, the responsibility falls primarily on the BPP to
prevent corruption so that we do not spend money fighting
corruption after they have already got away with the proceeds of
corruption.

“If we do open contracting and e-procurement system
successfully, corruption will almost be eradicated and that is an
assurance from the BPP. Once we get it right, we will not be
talking about corruption in a way that is significant in
Nigeria.”

The Bureau of Public Procurement has said that it will soon
exclude contractors not captured in its database from the patronage
of the Federal Government and its agencies.

The Director-General of the BPP, Mr. Mamman Ahmadu, who said
this in an interview with journalists at a ceremony to commemorate
the 2017 International Anti-Corruption Day in Abuja on Monday, also
disclosed that that the bureau had already captured 50,000
contractors in its database.

Ahmadu, who was represented by the Director of Energy at the
BPP, Mr. Babatunde Kuye, at the event, said the best way to fight
corruption was by preventing it before it occurred.

He said as soon as the database was completed, any company or
entity not found on the database would not be able to have access
to government jobs.

According to him, no organisation will also get government
contract unless it has demonstrated that in the past it had done
similar jobs.

He added that any company seeking government job must also
fulfil all requirements in terms of payment of taxes and sticking
to due process.

The BPP boss said that the government needed to strengthen the
process of procurement in the fight against corruption because most
corruption cases were perpetrated in the process of
procurement.

He said the database would eliminate the incidence of ghost
contractors as well as briefcase contractors, leaving the scene for
credible organisations that would execute government contracts in
accordance with stipulated standards.

He said, “As we talk, we already have 50,000 contractors who
have started registration on this system. Once it is fully finished
and approved, if you are not on that database, you may not be able
to do any contract with government.

“The database is going to be an open database available to
anybody anywhere in the world. What this means is that if you win a
contract, people will be able to go to that system to know if you
have the capacity to win that kind of job. It is all about
transparency and accountability.

“Our position on anti-corruption has always been clear; the best
way to fight corruption is to prevent corruption. It is cheaper; it
does not come with the emotion of people going through trial and
prosecution.”

He added, “Public procurement is an avenue where most of the
corruption cases in public organisations are perpetrated as we have
seen in all the trials of corruption going on and our position is
to see if we can improve in everything that can prevent corruption;
it will solve most of the problems that we have.

“Essentially, the responsibility falls primarily on the BPP to
prevent corruption so that we do not spend money fighting
corruption after they have already got away with the proceeds of
corruption.

“If we do open contracting and e-procurement system
successfully, corruption will almost be eradicated and that is an
assurance from the BPP. Once we get it right, we will not be
talking about corruption in a way that is significant in
Nigeria.”