.By Amaka madu
The Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme, RoLAC, has called on Civil Society Organizations, the media and other stakeholders to live up to their responsibility and support the Anambra State Government in implementing procurement principles in line with anti-corruption objectives.
The Anambra State Coordinator of RoLAC, Dr. Josephine Onah, made the call during a capacity building workshop for CSOs, media and other stakeholders in Awka. The event was powered by the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme, EU, in collaboration with the Anambra State Bureau of Public Procurement.
Dr. Onah explained that the training was centered on strengthening stakeholders to understand all the principles and reforms of procurement in the state and what needs to be emulated, in order to put things in the right perspective.
“It is not policing, but to politely ensure that best practices come out of the process,” she said.
She stressed that CSOs and the media have vital roles to play in promoting best practices in the procurement process.
Delivering the lead lecture series, Barr. Chinaka Chukwuma, an Abuja-based lawyer from Mildrose Law Firm, took participants through a detailed breakdown of corruption in public procurement in Nigeria.
In his first session on _“Overview of Corruption in Public Procurement”_, Barr. Chukwuma defined public procurement and explained how leakages occur when due process is ignored. He noted that corruption in procurement accounts for a significant percentage of government waste and directly affects service delivery to citizens.
In the second session, _“Corruption Through the Phases of Public Procurement”_, he walked participants through the procurement cycle — from needs assessment and budgeting, to bidding, evaluation, contract award, and contract management. He identified specific points of vulnerability at each stage, including bid rigging, inflation of contract sums, and poor contract supervision.
The third session addressed _“Vulnerabilities That Make Procurement Susceptible to Corruption”_. Barr. Chukwuma highlighted factors such as lack of transparency, weak institutional oversight, political interference, poor record keeping, and limited participation of CSOs and the media. He cited findings from recent vulnerability studies and accountability reports to buttress his points.
In the final session on _“Procurement Reforms and Strategies for Accountability”_, he exposed participants to legal frameworks, transparency tools, and monitoring strategies that can be used to prevent corruption. He emphasized the need for open contracting, e-procurement systems, whistleblowing mechanisms, and citizen-led monitoring as ways to strengthen accountability in Anambra State.
Barr. Chukwuma called for synergy among stakeholders to fully understand the skills and knowledge of procurement to enable them enforce reforms adequately, noting that teamwork will expand the scope.
He emphasized that attaching public procurement activities to political parties and politics leads to their misuse as political tools.
In her vote of thanks, Mrs. Ugochi Freeman expressed appreciation to RoLAC for its continuous efforts in combating corruption in the state. She promised that the group would partner with stakeholders to implement the principles needed to boost compliance in procurement processes in Anambra State.
