The ‘eagle eye’ of the nation’s oil and gas industry, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has unveiled plans to establish an open contracting data standard platform for procurement of goods and services.
The online platform (Open Contracting Data Standard) is to be hosted as a portal on the NEITI website and will have a feedback component aimed at promoting transparency, accountability and value for money in public transactions.
The platform will enable NEITI to provide regular information and data to the public on all procurement opportunities, contracting processes and requirements.
The development is coming on the heels of the recent ranking of NEITI by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) as one of the few Federal Government Agencies making significant strides in good corporate governance using the BPSR self-assessment tool for measurement.
The emerging portal will among other things, present seamless and more error-free comprehensive public information and disclosure on all procurement opportunities and contracting information by NEITI to the general public.
Just as the idea stems from the President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to agreements reached at the Anti-Corruption Summit held in London in 2016, it would be recalled that major cyber security experts and anti corruption fight analysts had argued that automating government systems will reduce chances personal contacts which breads spaces for bribery and kickbacks’ between government officials and the public service seekers.
Already, the first stage of the new deal has started with the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NEITI and Public Private Development Centre (PPDC), a non-governmental organisation, on the implementation of the open contracting data standard.
Executive Secretary of NEITI, Waziri Adio who endorsed the MoU on behalf of the Agency, expressed delight that NEITI has become the first federal government agency to fully embrace the Open Contracting Data Standard in line with the Public Procurement Act and bidding regulations of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).
Seember Nyager, the Chief Executive Officer of PPDC signed on behalf of her organisation.
