The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Samuel Ogbuku, has announced that the commission will fully automate its procurement processes by April to enhance efficiency and transparency.
The announcement was made public through a statement by the NDDC Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama, on Tuesday in Port Harcourt.
Ogbuku made the disclosure while speaking at the Mandatory Continuous Procurement Capacity Development Training Programme organised by the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) in Port Harcourt.
He stated that the automation initiative is aimed at strengthening compliance, promoting transparency, and improving overall service delivery.
The managing director highlighted that the commission has reformed its corporate governance structure and internal processes to reinforce accountability and efficiency.
Ogbuku also noted that the NDDC has initiated a new Governance Advisory Service to further enhance transparency in its operations.
He explained that the commission has shifted from purely transactional activities to transformational processes, resulting in significant improvements in its public procurement system.
“In the NDDC, public procurement is taken very seriously, and ongoing training and retraining of staff are critical for organisational growth,” Ogbuku said.
He added that, in collaboration with the BPP in 2024, the NDDC has trained its staff, and the procurement unit now boasts 35 BPP-certified professionals.
Highlighting the commission’s achievements, Ogbuku pointed to the Operation Light Up the Niger Delta programme as a key success that has delivered tangible benefits to communities in the region.
He emphasised that all projects are based on thorough needs assessments to ensure meaningful and lasting impact. “We remain committed to bringing the programmes of President Bola Tinubu closer to the people of the Niger Delta,” he added.
Dr Adebowale Adedokun, Director-General of the BPP, praised President Tinubu for advancing procurement reforms that have strengthened transparency, professionalism, and positioned procurement as a central pillar of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Adedokun noted that the training programme is designed to institutionalise a cadre of certified, accountable procurement professionals in the public service, in line with the Procurement Act, to improve project delivery.
He encouraged participants to fully engage with the training and uphold ethical standards and due process in all procurement activities.
Mr Emeka Ezeh, Chairman of the Federal Capital Territory Civil Service Commission, underscored the importance of procurement as a tool for good governance and as a mechanism to combat corruption in the public sector.
Ezeh urged trainees to internalise the eight priority areas of the Renewed Hope Agenda to drive effective and transparent public service delivery.