By Elizabeth Uwandu

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has said for any democratic government to fair well, it must provide the citizens with valued services.

Akinwunmi Ambode

Speaking at a two-day training tagged Public Procurement in a Distressed Economy: Emerging Issues and Challenges, Governor Ambode who spoke through Dr. Akintola Oke, Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, explained that the aim of the training was to emphasise the need for the state public service to reconcile two seemingly irreconcilable purposes: keep pursuing quality in the procurement decisions and keep cost down and controlled in the face of daunting economic challenges.

At the event, organised by the ministry for senior public servants, had Mrs Rhoda Ayinde, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry; Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, who was guest speaker, and Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim, Managing Partner, Messrs Midas Partners, facilitators of the training, in attendance.

The governor explained that strategic public procurement remained one of the challenges of government as it involved getting value from lean resources.

According to him, ” The essence of public procurement is to achieve value for money, which manifests in enhanced human welfare and improved economic growth.

” I  proceed on the basis that the delivery of value to citizens is the fundamental objective of any democratically-elected government, and that in contemporary times, the delivered value must be delivered to the highest possible standard.

“However, there are a number of challenges faced in this exercise.For instance a lack of understanding of the benefits of sustainable procurement among politicians and budget holders is a challenge, as it is subject to many pressures. From cutting costs to meeting the demands of internal users and the public. These and many issues this training will address.” Ambode said.