Public Officials Loot Through Procurement Process – Magu

The Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, has said that Heads of public sector organisation steal from the public through the procurement process.

Magu who said this at procurement retreat for chief executives/accounting officers of public agencies warned the CEOs to stick strictly to the 2017 budget in the award of contracts or face prosecution.

He said, “It has come to our knowledge that heads of public offices try to steal from public covers through the procurement processes.

“For us everybody has a duty to fight corruption.

“I want to warn that only strict adherence to 2007 Procurement Act will save you from jail term.”

Magu added, “Nothing will stop us in the fight against corruption; nothing. I say nothing, nothing at all.

“Nobody, nobody can stop the fight; it has come to stay and we are determined. We are unrelenting in the face of serious adversity; serious adversity. Nothing can stop us.

“Even though corruption is fighting back, we will continue to fight and we will win at the end of the day because we are not fighting corruption as an individual. Every Nigerian should join in the fight against corruption.

“The appeal is that we want to mobilise everybody. The best strategy in fighting corruption is to bring everybody on board and I am telling you, we will succeed; no doubt about that.”

Welcoming participants, the Director General of Bureau of Public Procurement, Mr. Mamman Ahmadu, said the retreat was in line with on-going reforms aimed at entrenching efficiency, transparency, accountability in public procurement process.