Bauchi Govt partners CITAD to improve procurement process
An NGO, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) says it is collaborating with the Bauchi State Bureau for Public Procurement Unit (BPPU) to improve procurement processes and deepen due process in the state.
Mr Isa Garba, the Senior Programme Manager, CITAD, stated this during an advocacy visit to the Director-General of BPPU, Mr Joshua Sanga, on Friday in Bauchi.
He said that CITAD was implementing a project under U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) through the “State Accountability, Transparency and Effectiveness (State2State)”.
“To implement a governance project and strengthen citizens’ participation in governance through active participation in the budgetary and procurement processes of the state,” he said.
Garba noted that the partnership would facilitate monitoring of procurement processes in the focal areas of education, health, youth and women development.
“Another component of the partnership is the development of an Android Application that will serve as a network between the citizens, legislators and the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
“The application called Office of the Citizens will serve as a link through which people in the communities will be reporting the status of projects in their communities.
“Both the ministry of budget and their representative in the house of Assembly will see the report and react to it accordingly,” Garba said.
He, however, appealed to the director-general of BPPU to always avail the staff of the office to serve as resource persons in media programmes.
Sanga appreciated CITAD for its commitment to improving the procurement process in the state.
He said that the programme was in line with the present administration policy on public procurement and due process.
Sanga assured that the due process office would always be there to support the project, especially projects that have a direct bearing on the citizens.
“This government is always ready to work with partners, who want to improve citizens’ understanding of the procurement processes and the Freedom of Information Act in the state,” Sanga said.
