The Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu, emphasized the critical need for professional proficiency and technical expertise in procurement management to achieve the agency’s objectives. Halilu made this statement during his welcome address at the opening ceremony of the 2024 three-day in-house training for NASENI procurement officers and staff in Abuja on Tuesday.
He highlighted that NASENI is committed to delivering top-tier services aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, and professional procurement management is essential to this goal. The training aims to equip NASENI officers with the necessary skills to manage procurement processes in full compliance with the Public Procurement Act of 2007.
“The importance of this workshop cannot be overstated, especially for newly hired or redeployed officers,” Halilu remarked. He stressed the need for continuous training and retraining of staff to ensure they align with NASENI’s vision and mandate.
In his keynote address, Acting Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Barr. Olusegun Omotola, represented by the Director of Training, Dr. Adebowale Adedokun, underscored NASENI’s vital role in national infrastructure development. He emphasized the importance of building skills for transparent and efficient procurement processes, ensuring value for money. Omotola also reminded participants of the need for strict adherence to procurement guidelines and the use of the NOCOPO system to ensure compliance.
The training, which is expected to address challenges hindering effective procurement activities and budget implementation, is a part of NASENI’s commitment to accountability, ethics, and integrity in public procurement.