The Managing Director of the Edo State Public Procurement Agency, Henry Idogun, has noted that the World Bank working with the Edo State Government and other institutions pioneered the mounting of procurement programmes across six Nigerian universities.
Idogun, who spoke with journalists in Benin City, noted that the programme was instituted after it came to light that there was no formal academic programme in Nigerian universities to build local capacity on procurement.
According to him, “Before, there was no University in Nigeria that offered Procurement as a course. Recently, about two or three years ago, the World Bank realized that there is inadequate procurement capacity in the country and started a programme in partnership with the Nigeria Universities Commission where they now want to run procurement courses in six selected universities.
“In fact, these universities were competitively selected. The one in the South-South is the University of Benin. When they wanted to start, they didn’t have resource persons. And the World Bank directed them to go and collaborate with our agency. Up till this moment, we act as resource persons to them. The progress they have made is well applauded by the World Bank which has also commended our commitment and support to the centre.”
He noted that the development is part of the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration’s drive to entrench transparency and accountability in public procurement in the state, which has received international and national accolades.
