In order to strengthen and make procurement plan effective and seamless, a workshop has been organised for some Local Government government Areas(LGAs) in Ebonyi State.
The three-day workshop organised by the USAID State Accountability, Transparency and Effectiveness(State2State) Activity in Abakaliki was attended by procurement officers from the focal LGAs in the state. Speaking while declaring the workshop open, the USAID State2State Team Leader Dr. Sam Onyia underscored the importance of the workshop and said it was designed to assist the council areas to sharpen their skills about procurement processes and plans. Dr. Onyia emphasised the need for the participants to be familiar with the Ebonyi State Public Procurement Law 2019 as amended and to also have a functional website.
In a message she sent to the training, the Permanent Secretary/Executive Secretary Bureau for Public Procurement, Mrs. Betty Uzoma who spoke on the gains Ebonyi State has made in the area of Public Procurement commended the organisers for their foresight in organising the programme.
Represented by the Head of Department, Bureau for Public Procurement, Mr Austin Aleke, the Executive Secretary reeled out the key successes of Ebonyi State Public Procurement reform efforts which made the state to be the best in the country.
On the qualities of a good procurement plan, the State2State LGA Manager, Mrs. Victoria Eze identified the concepts of transparency, accountability, value for money, fair competition, non discrimination, ethical practices, etc as some of the characteristics of a good plan.
The State2State PFM Specialist, Mr. Chibueze Nwonye lectured on the Review of Public Procurement Planning and Public Procurement Planning Template.
Four focal LGAs of Abakaliki, Ohaozora, Ikwo, Ebonyi participated as well as officials from the State BPP, Local Government Service Commission, Office of the Auditor-General for Local Government and the State Auditor General, Dr. Samuel Udu.