By Abubakar Yunusa
The Bureau of Public Procurement and the Fiscal Responsibility Commission on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding to tighten fiscal discipline and strengthen oversight of public spending across the country.
The agreement was sealed in Abuja when the Director-General of BPP, Adebowale Adedokun, paid a visit to the commission.
Speaking at the event, Adedokun said the partnership was designed to boost transparency, curb corruption and reduce wastage in government procurement processes nationwide.
He disclosed that the bureau is part of the anti-corruption team constituted by President Bola Tinubu to tackle graft and entrench accountability in public service.
According to him, the MoU will deepen collaboration between both agencies in advancing the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda and ensuring the judicious utilisation of public funds at the federal, state and local government levels.
“The MoU will strengthen shared responsibility in supporting the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda and ensure the prudent use of government funds at the three tiers of government,” he said.
Adedokun added that the collaboration would ensure that government expenditure remains within constitutional provisions and existing procurement regulations.
The BPP boss highlighted ongoing reforms aimed at promoting accountability, including the digitisation of procurement processes scheduled to commence on 1 March. He also listed community-based procurement, the Nigeria First policy, debarment policy, and affirmative procurement initiatives targeting women, youths, small and medium enterprises, and persons living with disabilities.
In a bold claim, Adedokun said the bureau had saved the nation nearly N1tn in less than one year through reform programmes and price benchmarking mechanisms.
On his part, the Chairman of the FRC, Victor Muruako, described the MoU as a strategic move to reinforce fiscal discipline and accountability in public finance management.
Muruako commended Adedokun’s leadership, noting that transparency and prudence across all tiers of government would significantly reduce corruption.
He described the signing of the MoU as one of his landmark decisions as he prepares to conclude his tenure, stressing the need for a stronger mechanism to consolidate procurement reforms within Nigeria’s fiscal framework.
