By Chimezie Godfrey
A Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) is set to hold a national dialogue on public procurement corruption in Nigeria.
This is contained in an invitation sent out on Sunday, by the National Coordinator, Procurement Observation and Advocacy Initiative (PRADIN), Mohammed Bougei Attah.
Attah who lamented that procurement corruption alone accounts for over 70% of total corruption in the public sector, noted that the proposed national dialogue would be in response to rising cases of corruption in Nigeria.
He also disclosed that part of the reason for the dialogue would be to lay a workable and pragmatic solution on the challenge of corruption for the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He stated,”We write to invite you as a participant at the upcoming “National Dialogue on Public Procurement Corruption in Nigeria” This is in recognition of your positive contributions to this subject over the years.
“Noting with great concern that procurement corruption alone accounts for over 70% of total corruption in the public sector, this National Roundtable is therefore in response to the rising cases of corruption in Nigeria, and to critically review the gaps and challenges, that will lay a workable and pragmatic solution for the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
Attah further disclosed,”The event is being put together by our organization, Procurement Observation and Advocacy Initiative, PRADIN, a group of non-state actors trained under the 2010 World Bank-Federal Government of Nigeria Economic Reforms and Governance Project (ERGP) in collaboration with three (3) leading anti-corruption NGOs in Nigeria: Civil Society Legislative and Advocacy Initiative, CISLAC, Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) and Human and Environment Development Agenda (HEDA).
“It is expected to draw participants from the government, particularly the anti-corruption agencies, the legislators, professional bodies, civil social organizations and the media among others.”
The theme of the Roundtable is,”Strategic Alliance and Think-tank Against Procurement Corruption in Nigeria”.
The proposed date for the Roundtable is Thursday August 24, 2023 at The Palm Hotel, Beside Grandsquare Supermarket, Central Business District, Abuja.
