Uchechukwu Nnaike reports that the recently launched World Bank project for improving sustainable procurement, environmental and social standards, will, among other things, give a more professional and academic perspective to the procurement, environment and manufacturing sectors. social.

Previously, procurement professionals came from related fields such as business or economics, logistics, supply chain management or purchasing. But the rhetoric is about to change with the recent launch of the Improving Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and Social Standards (SPESSE) project by the Federal Government of Nigeria, with support from the World Bank.

The SPESSE project was designed on the basis of the need to bridge the gap between the insufficient supply of qualified professionals in the procurement, environmental and social sectors and the lack of academic programs and study programs in the Nigerian education system. It therefore seeks to develop sustainable capacities in the management of public contracts, environmental and social standards in the public and private sectors.

Six federal universities (Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi; Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi; Federal University of Technology, Owerri; University of Benin and University of Lagos) have been selected to host the Sustainable Procurement, Environmental and the Centers of Excellence for Social Standards (SPESSCE) to implement the project.

SPESSE is a multisectoral project, with the support of the World Bank, which aims to address training, professionalization and research in procurement, environmental and social standards through certification studies, undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate studies; supporting governance, increasing transparency, competition, equal opportunities, sustainability, as well as the management of environmental and social standards in the public and private sectors.

It will be implemented by the National University Commission (NUC), the Public Procurement Office (BPP), the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the Federal Ministry of the Environment and the Federal Ministry of Status of Women and Social Development.

Speaking at the launch of the project in Abuja, the coordinator of the SPESSE project implementation unit, NUC, Abuja, Dr Joshua Atah, said that in recognition of the critical skills shortage and identified gaps preventing reform and modernization, Nigeria made the bold decision to be the first country to get credit from the World Bank to build capacity in procurement, environmental and social standards.

He said that SPESSE is designed to mainstream the professionalization of PES in the Nigerian public and private sectors, which will improve sustainable development and value for money in public spending.

According to him, the project is aligned with several government policies such as the Integrated Master Plan for National Infrastructure, the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan and the National Anti-Corruption Strategy.

Atah said the five-year project has a total budget of $ 80 million. He said 37.5% of the amount is for technical assistance, while the remaining 62.5% would be performance-based payments using disbursement link indicators (DLIs).

He said the goal is to train around 25,240 applicants over the lifetime of the project at the six universities, where around 30 short courses will be offered. He added that 3,000 female students would benefit from short courses, while 30 percent of the entire learning process would take place online.

According to him, the performance of implementing agencies and partners will be assessed by a dedicated independent auditor who will also draw lessons and support adaptation. He said previous experiences of the African Centers of Excellence (ACE) project had highlighted the importance of having independently managed Centers of Excellence.

Atah said the short courses are ready to go, while other programs will start from January 2022.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who initiated the project, stressed the need for transparency and accountability in procurement processes at all levels of government for the overall growth of the country. Osinbajo, represented by Minister of State for Education Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, noted that a huge amount of money is often spent on purchases, thus encouraging some form of financial waste.

“Questions relating to the construction, rehabilitation and extension of existing buildings, the acquisition and development of land, the purchase of laboratory equipment, the disposal of reagents and samples from patients and patients. animals, among others, must meet global standards. To achieve this, it is absolutely necessary to strengthen the adequate technical capacities required for effective and efficient procurement, environmental and social safeguard systems, ”he said. He expressed the hope that the investment in the SPESSE project would institutionalize the practice of public procurement, environmental and social standards in Nigeria.

While commending the NUC for its role in institutionalizing the study of public procurement, environmental and social standards in the Nigerian university system, the Vice President thanked other stakeholders for working towards the success of the SPESSE project. . He said choosing six centers, one in each of the six geopolitical zones, would ensure inclusiveness and ensure maximum benefits.

In his remarks, World Bank Country Director for Nigeria Shubham Chaudhuri said that in addition to investing in infrastructure, the Bank is focusing more on reassessing the human capital needed to meet the needs of the people. . “I am delighted that this critical need is being addressed by SPESSE. We look forward to working with all of you, ”he said.

Also speaking, NUC Executive Secretary Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, represented by his deputy, Dr Chris Mayaki, said the road to launching the project was arduous. He said he was delighted that the path towards offering professional and academic activities to ensure good governance, efficient service delivery, among others, has started.

He said the project was Nigeria’s first attempt to institutionalize the indispensable sustainable and credible qualification framework in public procurement, environmental and social standards, which would deliver vocational and academic programs in such a sustainable manner and adapted to needs.

According to him, although the project was originally designed to be a four-year program (2020-2024), there have however been a few hitches including the COVID-19 pandemic. He said that while the centers may be late, he was confident that with their level of commitment and determination, the project’s goals would be met.

The leader of the task force for the project, Chief Bayo Awosemusi, said that with SPESSE, Nigeria will be one of the few countries in the world to offer such holistic large-scale support for professionalizing standards of supply, environmental and social.

SE said there would be an incentive for the centers if at least 30 percent of students enrolled in the courses were women, adding that the team is working to achieve equal participation of both genders.

While calling for the cooperation of all stakeholders to enable the project to achieve the potential of positioning Nigeria as a hub of Africa, the team leader said that SPESSE graduates will not only be plentiful. in the public sectors, but also in industries, private companies, civil society organizations and the donor community.

He announced that the World Bank in Nigeria has decided to make the use of PES in Bank-financed projects conditional on practitioners graduating from SPEESSE. “We will have at least 25,000 of these professionals by 2024, so we invite MDAs in Nigeria as well as the donor community to do the same. “

Awosemusi added that job creation and increased employability are also supported by the project through a participatory internship program with partner industries, private and public employers; “At least 2,300 students will benefit from such a program,” he said.

In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono, who represented the minister, said the project would provide the private sector, government and universities with an opportunity to close the skills gap in education. supply, environmental and social standards.

He cited a report released 20 years ago, which found that out of every naira spent on government business, only 40 kobo services were rendered, and nearly 70% of business in Nigeria was related to procurement.

He therefore urged the country to take advantage of the platform presented by the World Bank to produce the right kind of staff to take charge of its purchases.

For his part, the Federation’s statistician general, Simon Harry, urged stakeholders to let statistics guide the whole process.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiary universities, UNILAG Vice-Chancellor Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe pledged that the centers would be the pride of the country and facilitate the dissemination of the program to other parts of the world.