From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Abia State Government has revamped its Bureau for Public Procurement after 12 yeas of dormancy, when the law establishing it was enacted.
Disclosing this in Umuahia, Head of Due Process and Public Procurement Bureau and Senior Special Assistant to the State Governor on Due Process, Dr Oluebube Chukwu said the action has demonstrated Governor Alex Otti’s high level commitment in promoting development and transparency in the state.
Chukwu stated that this was the first time, the office created 12 yeas ago, would be receiving maximum support to function on its mandate.
“Since 2012 when the Abia State Procurement Law was passed for the creation of a Due Process and Public Procurement Bureau, it had not worked up until the present Governor of the state took the saddle of leadership.”
Chukwu hinted that the reason the Abia Public Procurement Bureau was taking shape, was because Governor Otti has a penchant for doing things right, thereby, deploying the necessary support for the office to be functional.
“By Law, the Public Procurement Bureau is a regulatory body, saddled with the duty of ensuring that the right steps are followed in public procurement and also making sure that the government’s directives on due process, particularly as it concerns government expenditures are followed.
Recounting the growth so far made in the Bureau, Chukwu stated that “from a one room office space, the organization has moved to a full building, with a staff strength of three personnel to 28 officers.”
He added that soon the Bureau would be having 84 laison officers across the 84 Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the state, for a seamless operation.