E-procurement Adoption in Edo Will Ensure Transparent Use of Public Funds – Idogun

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Edo State Public Procurement Agency, Mr. Henry Imogiemhe Idogun, has said that the implementation of e-procurement system in the State will ensure judicious use of public funds in a transparent and efficient manner.

Idogun said this in a press statement that e-procurement has become a global priority for governments, adding that “Under the visionary leadership of Governor Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki, the Edo State Government has ensured that the dividends of good governance are enjoyed by the people of the State. This can be achieved with effective systems in place to drive a citizen-centric government.

“To achieve the MEGA objectives of the administration, the Edo State Government has leveraged technology in many aspects of its activities, so as to optimize service delivery”.

He stressed that, “all over the world, nations have identified e-procurement as a priority of an e-government agenda and a means to ensuring transparency, accountability and probity in the use of public funds”.

Speaking further on the digitalization of the processes of managing public finance in the State, Idogun said: “The Edo State Government keyed into the digitalization of the entire public financial management space to ensure a more efficient service delivery system to the contracting public, and indeed Edo People.

“The Edo State E-government Procurement System went live on the 16th of July, 2021, with four (4) pilot MDAs; Ministry of Roads and Bridges, Health, Education and the Public Building and Maintenance Agency, which have continuously conducted their procurement activities using the e-procurement solution.

“The effective implementation strategy attracted the attention of critical stakeholders who have adjudged the Edo State e-procurement deployment strategy as the best in Nigeria”.

Idogun added, “Against this backdrop, the Edo State Government has played host to sixteen (16) states of the federation who have come to understudy its implementation strategy with a view to replicating the same in their States.

“Edo State’s e-government procurement system is running in four (4) MDAs and plans are currently on to upscale the solution to cover ten (10) more MDAs”.

Idogun emphasized that “Despite critical challenges in implementing an e-Government Procurement System, the project team has continued to work tirelessly in order to achieve the long-term objective of a sustainable system that will ensure the judicious use of public funds in a transparent and efficient manner”.