The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Edo State Public Procurement Agency (EDPPA), Henry Imogiemhe Idogun, has said the State is expanding its e-procurement system to cover more Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) so as to improve transparency and accountability in public expenditure.
Idogun, while speaking to journalists in Benin City, the Edo State capital, said the State is working assiduously to ensure that at least 95 percent of its capital budget is expended through e-procurement before 2025.
According to him, “We have a trajectory plan that we are following. Before the end of this year, we are adding about 10-15 more MDAs to the pilot. Before the end of 2025, we are looking at ensuring that 90-95 percent of the capital budget is spent through e-procurement.
“Presently, we are covering the major MDAs: Ministries of Health, Education, Road and Bridges, and Public Buildings and Maintenance Agency. These four MDAs collectively account for about 60 percent of the capital budget of the State. And they are on e-procurement. Our dream is to expand in such a manner that by the year 2025, 95 percent of the capital budget must be spent through e-procurement.”
Speaking on the government’s use of technology to reduce delays and promote accountability and transparency in the state’s procurement procedures, the Managing Director stated, “Any country or sub-national that is desirous of making progress in the 21st century has to drive its processes with technology. We started piloting the e-procurement with four MDAs and the result has been amazing and very successful. The speed of evaluation and producing outcomes is incredible.
“It has virtually no human interference. It eliminates paper. The most admirable aspect is that susceptibility to interference is kept to a minimum, if it exists at all. So, we are now on the verge of trying to expand our e-procurement.”
He added, “If you want to fight corruption, waste, and delay, adopt e-procurement. It makes you become more efficient and reduce paperwork. Everything that is desirable is embodied in e-procurement. Not just only in procurement, but the entire financial management space.”
