Public Procurement and Management of Engineering System in Nigeria
If we are going to analyze the Public Procurement and Management of Engineering System in Nigeria we should be able to use publicly documented and transparent transaction involved in such action. Through only this we can determine and analyze what kind of system they are involved into. It should clearly define their approach in acquisition and negotiation so that all basic transaction is clearly defined upon auditing. Public Procurement requires following basic rules and guidelines, therefore such regulations if not consistently followed maybe illegal in nature, remember that the government fund is involve and therefore unnecessary and personal transaction should not be included here. These are the following basic guidelines;
· Public Procurement should be economical – If a government should purchase; their consideration goes through bidding process, wholesale acquisition or donation. These strategies are guaranteed to save such government funds so that excess funds can be spend on other public expenditure. Engineering Management Department can purchase directly through manufacturers of basic construction materials such as hollow blocks, metals, woods or cement for building public roads and highways, schools, government offices etc. to save even more since manufacturer offers lower prices.
· Public Procurement should be efficient – Absolutely the efficiency of the people can be accounted for the materials they have purchased, they should not procure low quality materials that will last for a few years as much as possible their purchases should be accounted for a longer lasting use. Engineers should know the quality of materials that is efficient in their projects. For example if they are going to construct a road using low quality materials the road would basically won’t last during heavy rain and it will crack because of the intensity of large vehicles that will pass by. If you can see roads that is newly built but have a crack on it is actually a work of low quality materials. Engineers tend to purchase such materials so that they can have a share on such public funds. This common practice is often used in many government agencies not just in Nigeria but all over the world.
· Public Procurement should be fair and transparent – There should be no personal or monkey business involved. All transaction should be audited to the government or to the public after such time of purchase. The government and the supplier should have an equal benefit so as not to indulge in over and under pricing that may lead to corruption. All transaction should be properly documented with receipts and supporting papers. All deliveries should be properly checked for consistency of numbers.
· Public procurement should follow accountability and integrity – Engineers who have the knowledge and power to use their capacity in dealing should be honest in negotiation to the public. They must be accountable for their action upon procurement of materials; their purchase should be basically used for public consumption and not for personal gain. If the materials they have purchase have high price but low in quality they have not adopt a significant system that is questionable to the public. They should have the responsibility to purchase such materials for maximum use or face the consequence of such negligence and greed.
Engineers who are responsible for construction of roads, buildings, highways and bridges should also be concerned in the safety of their workers. Public safety engineers should be highly responsible in the procurement of materials that will not endanger the lives of their workers. There are many accidents that can happen on construction areas if they have not followed the safety protection that the government have required and procurement of sub standard materials have something to do with this. Sub standard materials can make buildings, road and bridges easily collapse. The little bricks that are weak may easily break upon constructions. All materials should be guided according to safety standards so that the overall safety of the workers is implemented during construction and the risks of dangers are eliminated.
Obviously the procurement system which is equated to public use can determine its investment success if the government has created a publicly useful construction projects like roads and bridges with the help of public engineers. In constrain budget of low income department should maximize their full potential in government procurement procedure so that the general public would be the one who will benefit for such projects. If the construction project funding comes from borrowing to international community and the project has not been successful, such country might have a hard time to experience economic recovery but will be heavily burden with indebtedness.
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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