PSSDC Director-General Charges Procurement Officers On Professionalism

The Director-General, Public Service Staff Development Centre (PSSDC), Dr. Senukon Olufunmi Ajose-Harrison, has charged procurement officers in the State to always display professionalism in the discharge of their duties, saying they play a critical role in the governance process, acting as the conscience of the government and the general public, in ensuring value for money in the procurement of goods, works or services.

Ajose-Harrison, who gave the charge during a one-day webinar organised for procurement officers tagged “Managing the Procurement Circle”, stated that as process control staff, they must exhibit diligence and professionalism which are great assets in the promotion of value-for-money, accountability and transparency in public procurement practices.

While noting that the procurement function is an inevitable aspect of sound financial management in the Public Sector’s drive to achieve set goals and objectives, he opined that its effectiveness is highly dependent on the capacity and professionalism of the officers, who represent the Public Procurement Agency in the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

The Director-General further stated that the webinar is part of the Centre’s contribution to business continuity goals of the State Government, adding that it had implemented nine webinars on various aspects of Public Service Management with attendant impact on the achievement of the developmental goals in the T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda as well as the realisation of the Greater Lagos aspiration.

Also speaking, the Guest Speaker and General Manager of the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency, Mr. Fatai Idowu Onafowote, reminded participants of their roles as game-changers in public procurement, noting that they are strategic officers in the public procurement function from project conception, implementation to closure.

He emphasised the need for professionalism by procurement officers in ensuring value-for-money, urging them to get familiar with all procurement regulations so that they can provide effective guidance in the application of public funding, stressing that every public officer is utilising public resources on trust.

Onafowote further charged officers to professionally separate the T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda into goods, works and services, admonishing them to change the negative narrative and help perpetuate the system of accountability and transparency in procurement and service delivery in the State Public Service.

Meanwhile, Lagos Government, on Wednesday, distributed various empowerment materials to Persons Living With Disability (PWD) as part of activities marking the closing ceremony of an empowerment workshop organised by Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA).

In his address at the event, held at the LASODA Office Alausa, Ikeja, the Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr. Segun Dawodu stated that the programme is the first of its kind that gives training opportunities to such a large number of PWD at once, by any Government.

While explaining that the participants were trained in various vocations such as sewing, tie & dye, shoe cobbling, electrical installation, barbing, head-gear (gele) making, cosmetology, arts and designs amongst others, Dawodu declared that the programme is a child of necessity as the State government urgently needed to intervene in the high level of rejection and discrimination faced by PWDs over a long period of time.

According to him “It is a fact known to many of us here that until recently, many governments and the society in the past had failed to develop an ideal strategy by which PWDs could be meaningfully and indeed effectively integrated into their day to day policies and programmes. Hence, the present administration, through its various policies initiated by LASODA, is determined to focus on the socio-economic development of PWDs in the State”.

The Commissioner said that the five-week training programme provided opportunities for the beneficiaries, many of whom had lost the hope of ever being able to learn any skilled vocations due to lack of funds to undergo the training.

Expressing satisfaction at the zeal of the participants, Dawodu noted that their positive disposition gives credence to the fact that PWDs are not lazy people but merely needed to be given a chance to exhibit their inherent gifts.

He, however, charged the participants to make good use of the skills acquired and the empowerment materials given to them, saying “I urge you all to make the best use of this opportunity to change your status from nobody to somebody, and prove to the world that there are many abilities in every disability”.

He also used the opportunity to call on the civil society groups to do more in advocating the rights and privileges of PWDs, in order to change the negative and erroneous beliefs of some people and organisations in the society about PWD.

The participants, drawn across recognised cluster associations in the State, went home with various empowerment materials which included hair dryer machines, sewing machines, phone repair kits and electrical tools amongst others.

A cross-section of the participants expressed appreciation to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for empowering and giving them the opportunity to contribute to the growth and development of the State.