TETFUND To Partner With APPON On Institutionalization Of The Practice
The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) has pledged to partner with the Association of Public Procurement Practitioners of Nigeria (APPON) towards institutionalizing the practice of the profession in the country.
The pledge was made today by the Executive Secretary of TETFUND, Arc. Sonny Echono on behalf of the Agency when the National Leadership of Association of Public Procurement Practitioners of Nigeria (APPON) led by the National President, Emem Kanico, paid a courtesy visit to the Agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
The TETFUND boss who is a Fellow of the Association of Public Procurement Practitioners of Nigeria emphasized that 70% of government procurement in the country are done through Civil/Public Servants in the Procurement Cadre across Ministries, Departments and Agencies hence the need for all stakeholders to support the institutionalization of the practice in Nigeria.
The TETFUND Executive Secretary disclosed that her Agency in partnership with the Nigerian University Commission approved the establishment of Centers for the Study of Procurement Practice in Six Territory Institutions strategically located in the Six geopolitical zones of the country. He said the effort is part of TETFUND’s initiative to deepen the study and application of the practice for sustainable development of the country, considering the value the Procurement Officers are bringing to government through cost minimisation, evaluation of proposals/ bidding and time management associated with government Procurement processes.
Arc. Echono therefore pledged on behalf of TETFUND to assist APPON in its subsequent programmes. He urged the body to set up strict compliance committee that will enforce the ethics, values and international best practices championed by the body in order to guarantee professional integrity of the Association.
He commended the leadership of the Association led by Emem Kanico for the courtesy visit and for the initiative of selflessly coordinating and uniting Public servants in the Procurement Cadre/profession to contribute to national development irrespective of their lean resources.
Earlier in his speech, the National President, Association of Public Procurement Practitioners of Nigeria (APPON), Emem Kanico said he and his National Executive were in TETFUND in solidarity and to officially congratulate a Fellow of their Association and seasoned Technocrat, Arc. Sonny Echono on his appointment and subsequent assumption of office as the Executive Secretary of Tertiary Education Trust (TETFUND) adding that the reward for good work is more work.
The National President of APPON used the occasion to appreciate President Muhammadu Buhari for the strategic appointment of their Fellow.
Emem, pointed out that procurement in Nigeria has been bastardized because the process and practice of procurement in so many Ministries, Agencies, Commissions and Parastatals of government are currently handled by mostly untrained public office holders without requisite training and knowledge of procurement practice.
According to the National President of APPON, this unprofessional trend has affected these Agencies and hampered policies of governments in these regards especially in the maladministration of cost, quality and time of services offered by vendors to the government and her Agencies.
Emem, therefore used the opportunity to emphasize the urgent need for TETFUND as Tertiary Education Fund Managers in the country to support their Association along with other stakeholders in the nation towards the training of Public Procurement Practitioners as well as provision of infrastructure to the body for their smooth operation and service to the nation.
The National President of APPON also used the opportunity to inform the management of TETFUND of their forthcoming Annual Conference/INDUCTION of New members into the body scheduled for 27th October 2022 in Abuja.
He said the body has proposed to induct not less than One Thousand new members to boast the proficiency and efficiency of the Procurement Practice in Nigeria.
The National President further reassures his administration’s commitment to manpower development of Practitioners to strengthen Procurement Practice in the nation. He expressed appreciation to his National Executive Council and the entire members for their continuous support and contributions to his administration. He used the occasion to invite the Executive Secretary and management of TETFUND to support and attend the event accordingly.
The Executive Secretary of TETFUND, Arc. Sonny Echono was earlier decorated with the costume of the Association of Public Procurement Practitioners of Nigeria by its National President, Emem Kanico.
