By Josephine Oguntoyinbo

The Ondo State House of Assembly has wrapped up its public sitting on the 2023 reports submitted by the State Bureau of Public Procurement (ODBPP).

The two-day exercise, which took place at the Assembly Complex, saw scheduled appearances by several Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) as the legislature beamed its searchlight on procurement activities across the state.

Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee on Tender and Procurement, Tunji Ifabiyi, while addressing journalists after the session, thanked all stakeholders for their cooperation, which he said enabled the committee to conduct a thorough examination of the reports.

He noted that the audit exercise, first of its kind by the House since 2017 was designed to bolster public confidence in government’s financial dealings and to promote a culture of openness, integrity, and fiscal discipline within the public sector.

But Ifabiyi didn’t mince words in warning MDAs against the growing trend of delayed submissions of procurement reports, urging compliance with the stipulated annual timeframe.

He insisted that MDAs whose reports were yet to be cleared must do so promptly or risk severe sanctions.

The lawmaker further stressed the need for regular capacity-building programmes for staff, adding that such initiatives would go a long way in boosting productivity and service delivery.

Other members of the committee echoed similar sentiments, noting that the exercise also provided insights into the operational challenges confronting some agencies.

They assured that the House would take legislative steps to address the issues raised.

Describing the audit as a landmark development, a senior official of the ODBPP, Mr. Bunmi Akinsemola, praised the initiative, pointing out that it marked the first public hearing on a procurement audit report not only in Ondo State but possibly in the entire country.

Akinsemola hailed the State Assembly’s bold move, declaring that Ondo State was setting a new benchmark in public procurement transparency.

He disclosed that 37 MDAs participated in the initial phase of the 2023 fiscal year audit.