News
Lagos to Launch e-Procurement Platform to Eliminate Corruption
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has revealed that his administration would launch e-procurement platform aimed at eliminating corruption from the system in the next three weeks.
The governor spoke at the second edition of the Lagos State Annual Public Procurement Summit held at the Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.
The theme of the one day summit was: ‘Entrenching Transparency and Prudence in the Management of Government’s Procurement Process: The Responsibility of Stakeholders’.
According to Ambode, the platform would start with three key ministries- Ministries of Works, Health and Education.
“By the end of 2019, 80 per cent of other Ministries, Departments and Agencies would have been brought on board. It is projected that by the end of year 2020, e-Procurement will be fully implemented at all levels of public governance including local governments,” he stated.
The governor, who was represented by the Head of Service, Hakeem Muri-Okunola explained that the theme of the summit was apt and spoke loudly on the need for integrity, “which is the combination of honesty, accountability, transparency, fairness, self-discipline and probity, to take its course on the public procurement process”.
The governor said the summit was a platform for all stakeholders in public procurement to deliberate on emerging issues and challenges and come up with new ideas that will align the state public procurement law and implementation process with global best practices.
He said apart from being the process by which the government contracts infrastructure, supplies and professional services, transparency, procurement was central to expenditure management of any government, dding that there was an urgent need to ensure the procurement process was transparent, efficient and effective in order to curb wastage and misappropriation of public funds and resources.
Ambode said before the advent of the public procurement law, corruption thrived in the procurement of goods, works and services.
“However, the public procurement law has entrenched clear and unambiguous governing rules on public procurement. A full and committed implementation of the governing rules on public procurement reduces public procurement malpractices, uncompleted contracts or unexecuted sub-contracts”, Ambode said.
He assured that as a government, it was working tirelessly to ensure that the procurement process was transparent and enabled accountability which is part of the reason why the e-Procurement platform was being activated.
He said the responsibility of entrenching transparency and prudence in the public procurement sector did not rest solely on the government.
“It is a collective responsibility and required the joint effort of all stakeholders including contractors/suppliers and non-governmental organisations…we are all to collectively uphold the core values of public procurement; probity, accountability, transparency, value for money and prudency”, the governor said.
Speaking, General Manager, Lagos State Public Procurement Agency, LSPPA, Fatai Onofowote said public procurement had come to stay in Lagos State as it had to do with leading practice in the world, opportunity to promote team work as well as opportunity to attract international support and foreign direct investment.
“Public Procurement is about total life cycle of the goods, works and services to be procured using public fund. It is about planning, contract formation, contract management and finally disposal of public asset,” he said.
News
Legit.ng, Shade of Life Foundation Partner to Advance Autism Awareness in Nigeria
Legit.ng recently joined forces with the Shade of Life Foundation to become a voice of autism, and drive advocacy for improved media support during Autism Awareness Month.
Conversations around media support exploration was led by Joseph Omotayo, head of Department for Human Interest Stories at Legit.ng, and Dr. Eziafakaku Nwokolo, founder and CEO of the Shade of Life Foundation,
This partnership is a response to the concerns raised by organizations like the Shade of Life Foundation about the level of support received from the media in discussing autism as a disability.
While other disabilities may receive attention, autism, with its critical developmental implications often lacks adequate representation in mainstream media.
Recognizing the importance of addressing these concerns, Legit.ng took proactive steps by integrating itself into the essence of autism awareness.
It facilitated a one-hour workshop with Dr. Nwokolo, the founder of the foundation, to deepen our understanding of autism, its various spectrums, and the language boundaries associated with it.
Other steps we took in advocating autism awareness in the media, can be seen in our attached press release.
Legit.ng believes that by amplifying the voices of autism and advocating for better media representation, we can contribute to creating a more inclusive and accepting society for all.
News
As Nigeria Struggle, Tanzania Turns off Power Plants Due to Excess Supply
While 85 per cent of Nigeria is in darkness, Tanzania, an African country has shut down five hydroelectric stations in a bid to reduce excess electricity in the national grid.
Kassim Majaliwa, prime minister, Tanzania, has said the main plant, Mwalimu Nyerere Hydroelectric Station, alone generated enough electricity to power major cities, including Dar es Salaam, the country’s commercial hub.
It is the first time Tanzania, which suffers chronic power shortages, has closed hydroelectric stations due to excess production.
“We have turned off all these stations because the demand is low and the electricity production is too much, we have no allocation now,” an official from state-run power company, Tanesco, said.
The 2,115MW Julius Nyerere Hydropower Dam is said to be almost filled with water following heavy rains that started early this year.
Meanwhile, while the country has an installed capacity of 1,938MW and the grid installed capacity of 1,899MW, Nigeria which has an installed capacity of 13,000MW is struggling to electrify 85 per cent of its electricity consumers.
News
President Tinubu Appoints Jim Ovia as Student Loan Fund Chairman
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Jim Ovia, renowned banker and businessman, as the Chairman, Board of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
Ovia’s appointment is contained in a State House statement titled, ‘President Tinubu appoints Jim Ovia as Chairman of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund,’ and issued on Friday by Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to the President, Media & Publicity.
The statement noted that “Ovia is the founder of one of Nigeria’s leading banks and a respected business leader, with a surfeit of efforts and benefaction towards nurturing and empowering young Nigerians.
“He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and holds a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Louisiana.”
The National Student Loan Programme is a pivotal intervention that seeks to guarantee sustainable higher education and functional skill development for all Nigerian students and youths.
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund, the implementing institution of this innovation, demands excellence and Nigerians of the finest professional ilk to guide and manage.
“The President believes Mr. Ovia will bring his immense wealth of experience and professional stature to this role to advance the all-important vision of ensuring that no Nigerian student suffers a capricious end to their pursuit of higher education over a lack of funds,” the statement partly read.
Ovia’s appointment will also ensure “that Nigerian youths, irrespective of who they are, have access to higher education and skills that will make them productive members of society and core contributors to the knowledge-based global economy of this century.”
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