The Ogun State Government has issued a stern warning to public procurement service providers to avoid engaging in bribery, corruption, and unnecessary spending of government funds during the procurement process.

This warning was delivered by Ayomikun Akinbode, the Director of Digital Procurement, Research, Review, and Strategic Planning at the Ogun State Bureau of Public Procurement, during a sensitisation programme for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across the three senatorial districts of the state on Tuesday.

The programme, which took place at the conference halls of Ado-Odo/Ota, Abeokuta South, and Ijebu-North Local Governments, urged vendors and contractors to refrain from fraudulent practices that could hamper the smooth implementation of procurement laws.

Akinbode emphasized that all procurement contracts must include warranties for the durability of goods, the exercise of requisite skills in service provision, and the use of genuine materials and inputs in contract execution. He further stated that contracts for goods, works, and services would be awarded to the lowest evaluated responsive bidder.

"Some of the requirements a bidder must meet before being awarded a government contract include professional and technical qualifications, financial capability, and tax compliance, among others," Akinbode explained.

The Bureau's Coordinator, Feyisara Bolarinwa–Adebowale, in her address, expressed appreciation to the organisers of the programme. She noted that procurement extends beyond merely selecting what to buy and which method to adopt, describing it as a series of activities aimed at ensuring positive outcomes, adding value for money, and reducing the cost of governance.

Bolarinwa–Adebowale stressed that everyone is a stakeholder in the procurement process and warned that there are administrative and criminal sanctions for service providers who violate the law and sabotage the state's procurement process.

Olatunde Kazeem, the Director of Appeal Management Resolution and Quality Assurance, remarked that procurement has transformed how government activities are conducted since the procurement reform was introduced in the state. He urged all participants to strictly adhere to the provisions of the procurement law, guidelines, regulations, and bidding documents of the state.

Speaking on behalf of the participants, Sheriff Adejola from Adex Nigeria Enterprises and Tobiloba Aina from Tobex Ventures expressed gratitude to the Bureau for organizing the sensitisation programme. They acknowledged that the programme had enhanced their understanding of how to properly bid for government contracts in accordance with due process.