Public sector accountability key to success of any administration, Ayade

Cross River State Governor, Senator Ben Ayade

By Eteng Kebeh

Cross River State Governor, Senator Ben Ayade has said that good governance as well as public sector accountability are fundamental key to the overall success of any administration.

Ayade who stated this while declaring open the 2018 procurement retreat for Federal Permanent Secretaries with the theme; “Public Procurement for Sustainable National Development,” held at the International Conference Centre, Calabar said that corruptive tendencies remain an anathema to development.

The Governor, represented by his Deputy Professor Ivara Esu, pointed out that, the critical values of accountability, transparency, maintenance of rule of law, effectiveness and efficiency amongst others, are indices to attaining good governance and quality service delivery.

He said, in recognition of the critical importance of due diligence in public procurement, his administration upgraded the then Due Process and Price Intelligence Department in the Office of the Governor to a full-fledged Bureau, headed by a Director General, with Ministerial and Departmental Due Process Units in all MDAs in the State.

While appreciating the doggedness and commitment of the Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo Ita to improving the capacity of public officers through retreats and the on-going reforms in the Federal Public Service, he asserted that, the reforms will definitely enhance a total rejuvenation of the service and place it on an appropriate pedestal for improved service delivery.

He sought the continuous assistance and intervention of her office and all Federal Agencies to reposition the different sectors of the State’s economy.

He charged the Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Bureaucracy in their establishments to shun all forms of corruption and ensure that they conduct all official matters in tandem with the provisions of the Public Procurement Law, Financial Regulations, Public Service Rules and Appropriation law, in view of the fact that, the President Mohamadu Buhari’s administration Is anchored on the values of accountability, transparency, probity and prudence in the management of State resources.

Speaking, the Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo Ita, intimated that the retreat has become an annual event with the purpose of increasing the capacity of the Permanent Secretaries who are the Accounting Officers of the Federal Civil Service.

She maintained that the retreat will create an opportunity to renew their commitment to deepening the on-going Civil Service Reforms, as well as give the new Permanent Secretaries an opportunity to respond to the factors in the momenta changes in the system.

The Director-General, Bureau of Public Procurement, Mr. Mamman Ahmadu remarked that, the development of the Country is in the hands of the Permanent Secretaries as they are the core of the overall process in governance through the process of public procurement.

He maintained that, the procurement reform has steadily improved in the last couple of years adding that the retreat which is an annual event is aimed at taking stock of what the Bureau and Permanent Secretaries have done so far with a view to improving on its challenges.

The retreat was attended by the Chairman Senate Committee on Public Procurement, Senator Joshua Dariye, Chairman House Committee on Power, Mr. Daniel Asuquo, the Chairman House Committee on Public Procurement, Mr. Wali Oke as well as some Permanent Secretaries from the State Civil Service.