70% procurement fraud reason for growing poverty in Nigeria — CSOs, EFCC, others

…seek sustained partnerships to curb procurement corruption

By Ezra Ukanwa, Abuja

CIvil Society Organizations (CSOs), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), among various other stakeholders in Nigeria have jointly warned that the nation’s persistent poverty is primarily a result of about 70 percent of procurement corruption cases within its political and economic systems.

Speaking at a one-day CSOs Strategic Alliance & Think-Tank Against Procurement Corruption held on Thursday in Abuja, the acting executive chairman, EFCC, Mr. Abdulkarim Chukkol, represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties, EFCC, Ofe-Imu Atiba Sunday, said both high-profile and widespread corruptionat all levels, has severely undermined the nation’s ability to harness its resources for the benefit of all citizens.

He said: “We need not begin to re-announce what corruption has done to Nigeria and what it is doing to Nigeria. We have a nation that is so blessed with all forms of resources, both human and material. But, we are languishing in poverty just because of corruption. Procurement corruption or fraud constitutes 70 per cent of corruption cases in Nigeria.

“All cases of corruption particularly in public sector corruption borders on procurement both high profile procurement to the least of procurement. It is difficult for anybody to go to a public purse or vault and just take money and go. So, the only avenue that has remained a conduit pipe where resources are being carried away is through procurement.”

On his part, the National Coordinator, Procurement Observation and Advocacy Initiative (PRADIN), Mohammed Bougei Attah noted that the roundtable was informed by the rising cases of corruption that appear to have defied all forms of prescriptions despite huge investments both in human and material resources to fight the menace.

During his paper presentation, among other things, Attah identified wrong utilization of certain provisions for prosecutors and total absence of audit in public procurement as factors for poor procurement in the country.

Among other things, he recommended complete advocacy for compliance with the extant laws as part of ways to ensure transparency in public procurement.

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