Covid-19: Patronise WHO accredited agents, institute tells FG

Adegunle Olugbamila

Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria (CIPSMN), has implored the Federal Government to purchase vaccines and test kits that will be deployed for patients with coronavirus from agents accredited by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Registrar/ Chief Executive Officer of CIPSM Alhaji Muhammed Aliyu, appealed to the Federal government not to politicise acquisition of vaccines, but buy the aforementioned medical tools from procurers certified by WHO, rather than quacks.

Aliyu addressed stakeholders at the end of its enlarged meeting of the National Executive Council of the Institute.

And as government begins a downward review of the 2020 budget at the wake of coronavirus epidemic which is biting world economies, Aliyu said, planning has become important, as failure or shoddy logistics could jeopardise its implementation.

Said Aliyu: “Any budget that does not have procurement planning will not be effectively implemented.”

“Budget is expended on acquisition of materials works and services. World Bank recommends that 80 per cent of any country’s budget goes into procurement, contract and services.

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So, it is the duty of procurement professionals to advise the government on how to go about these to ensure sound management.

“Unfortunately, the Nigerian government has not been forthcoming in this regards and that explains the shoddy implementation of the country’s budget.

Aliyu said proper procurement planning would eliminate racketeers who, for years, feed fat on money meant for procurement.

A Fellow of the institute Mallam Abdul Mamman who is also the Coordinator, Northcentral zone, described procurement as part of the public sector finance management portfolio, saying all public procurement must be planned and integrated into the budget backed by appropriation.

Mamnan challenged the authorities to make plans for Covid-19 procurement as an emergency outside normal routine procedure and competitive selection.
“There is a window through international best practice that allows you to make use of opportunities available. We must not play politics with the outbreak,” Mamnan began.

“The government should seek assistance from WHO to direct the country on where they could get what is required in terms of vaccines,” he added.

Earlier, President of the institute, Alhaji Abdul Jubril represented by Alhaji Sikiru Oladepo Balogun, the institute’s first vice-president, described said procurement sector doesn’t live up to its expectation in Nigeria. He said the use of sector specialists for procurement have failed and responsible for the deluge of abandoned projects across the country.