BPP reforms saved N650bn for government, says Joe Abah

Task Other Agencies To Assist Government In Fighting Corruption

The Director-General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), Dr. Joe Abah, yesterday, disclosed that the reforms made by government in establishing the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) are yielding positive results, which has led to the saving of over N650b.

He called on other reform agencies, such as, the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) to use their platforms to assist government in the fight against corruption.

Speaking at the Lunch-Time Reform Seminar on Open Government and Transparency, organised by BPSR in Abuja, Abah said time has come for total reforms, which will cut across the Legislature, Executive and the Judicial arms of government, so that efforts being put in place by the current administration will enable government institutions to be more open to transparency and accountability for the overall benefit of the people.

“It is in this regard that President Muhammadu Buhari was committed to signing the Open government Partnership initiatives, alongside the immediate past Prime Minister of Britain, David Cameron during the London anti-corruption Summit in May, 2016. It is, therefore, important that public servants are fully aware of the objectives and essential elements of the Open government partnership ‘OGP),” he said.

Also speaking, the Head, FOI Act Unit, Ministry of Justice, Mr. Benjamin Okolo, said it is regrettable that over 500 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are not compliant with the submission of Annual Reports to government authorities, as at when due.

In her contribution, Mrs. Eneh Nwanpa, National Co-Coordinator, “Right To Know,” a civil society organisation, called on government to improve the relationship between NGOs and all the MDAs to make the FOI bill work better.