The Lagos State Government has committed to continuing to provide the Gambia’s government with the required help and support so that it may effectively transition from a manual to an electronic procurement system.
On a research visit to the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency, a group from the Gambian Fiscal Management Development Project was addressed by the Lagos State Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Rabiu Olowo, who made the commitment today.
In addition to serving as the Chairman of the Governing Board of the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency, Dr. Olowo praised the Gambian delegation for taking the initiative to travel to Lagos State in particular as part of the study tour to Nigeria in order to share ideas about how to improve their nation’s public procurement system using technology.
The Commissioner said that the public procurement system is a magic bullet for solving many issues related to governance and further stated that an efficient public procurement system has significantly improved the integrity of the State Government.
Therefore, he asked the delegation to feel free to discuss ideas with their counterparts in Lagos State and to keep looking for the information needed to support development in their nation’s public procurement system.
The Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr. Hakeem Fahm, also addressed the Gambian delegation that paid him a courtesy call at his office. He advised the visitors to choose the appropriate technology that would fit the unique environment and demands of their nation.
Mr. Fahm outlined the several advantages of using technology to drive public procurement, including improved transparency, reduced costs, and better productivity.
The Permanent Secretary, Office of Infrastructure, Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Arc. Adebayo Ayodeji Odusanya, also spoke with the delegation while receiving them in his office. He described e-procurement as a blessing to the State and added that the implementation of the e-procurement system has made work much more seamless.
The Director-General of the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency, Mr. Fatai Onafowote, encouraged the Gambian delegation in his welcome speech during the training and live demonstration sessions organized for the visiting Gambian delegation at the Protea Hotel in Ikeja to remain focused and determined in their desire to implement technology into the public procurement system of their country despite initial difficulties and resistance.
In order to guarantee the system’s smooth functioning, Mr. Onafowote also emphasized the need for the Gambian authorities to develop the skills of the procurement professionals who would run it as well as launch ongoing stakeholder engagement and sensitization campaigns.
The Director-General provided a summary of the Agency, including how it began as a public procurement regulatory agency and transitioned from manual to computerized procurement.
The choice of Lagos State was influenced by the fact that the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency is at the forefront of the public procurement system in Africa, according to Mr. Solomon Affun, Project Coordinator, Nigeria Governors’ Forum State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability Technical Assistance, Abuja, who organized the study visit of the Gambian officials to Lagos.
He urged the audience to pay attentive and make pertinent inquiries about any problems with e-procurement.
The Lagos State Public Procurement Agency and the State Government were complimented for their assistance and for making the 20-person delegation’s four-day research visit to Lagos State memorable by Director-General of the Gambian Public Procurement Authority, Mr. Phodey Jaiteh.
He expressed happiness that Lagos State’s public procurement system is digitalized and full of data that might help with managing and planning policies, and he pledged that the Gambian government will utilize the information learned to enhance the nation’s procurement system.