*Gov. Okowa Reaffirms Commitment To Service Delivery, Transparency, Accountability For Economic Stability
Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to realizing the administration’s SMART agenda policies through a culture of effective service delivery, transparency and accountability in all its transactions in its new procurement regime.
Governor Okowa stated this after declaring open a two-day workshop on new procurement regime for political office holders and selected senior management personnel in the Delta state Public Service, on Wednesday, March 20, 2018 at the Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba.
The governor, who was represented by the Special Adviser to the Delta state governor on Urban Renewal, Hon. Basil Ganagana, urged participants to seize the opportunity of the workshop to clarify grey areas in the public procurement law, adding that the workshop is timely and in line with the due process in the public service delivery initiative of the state government.
He disclosed that the enactment of the Delta State Public Procurement Law in 2016 is part of the state government’s desired commitment to further entrench prudence in management of the state resources towards achieving long-term economic stability.
“Our interest is to restore prompt services delivery, transparency, competition, integrity and value for money in the award and execution of public contract procurement and other services. We are also interested in restoring openness in budgetary discipline, efficient project execution and improvement in service delivery.”
In his welcome address, the Director General, Delta State Public Procurement Commission (DSPPC), Mr. Joseph Duke Okeze said procurement is at the center of development in every part of the world, hence good governance thrives when the public procurement processes are governed by rules and effective institutions.
He said that, as part of his quest for effective governance, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has embarked upon far-reaching institutional, legal and regulatory reforms since he assumed office in 2015, leading to the enactment of the Delta State Public Procurement Law in 2016, in a bid to achieve transparency, competitiveness and value for money in public procurement.
According to him, “Public procurements play important roles in determining the extent to which government’s social and economic targets will be attained. The business of government is conducted through policies, plans and framework with the aim of achieving socio-ecomomic development. Policies include those on various sectors such as education and health, whilst frameworks include development targets such as Sustainable Development Goals. All these are dependent on effective procurement systems to achieve their short, medium and long-term goals.”
Paper presentation for the two-day workshop include, “Implementing the Procurement Reforms: the Edo State Experience by the Managing Director, Edo State Procurement Agency, Mr. Henry Idogun and “Overview of the Delta State Public Procurement Law – Introduction and Interpretation by the Lead Director, Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), Abuja, Mr. Eze Onyekpere Esq.
The sensitization workshop slated for Tuesday March 20 and Wednesday March 21, 2018 is intended to introduce participants to the major provision of the Delta State Public Procurement Law to explore opportunities for socio-economic growth inherent in the implementation of the reform legislations.
It will also enable participants understand the basic principles for procurement planning under the revised Delta State Public Procurement Law.
Participans at the interactive workshop included State Commissioners in charge of various ministries, departments, and agencies (MDA’s) Special Advisers, Permanent Secretaries, Directors General of Agencies, and executive secretaries.
