ROLAC-Backed Training on Public Procurement Reforms for public servants ends in Abia

A four-day capacity-building and sensitization programme on public procurement principles and the Abia State Public Procurement Law held in Umuahia, the state capital, which commenced on 19 May has ended with participants lauding the State government for equipping them for their duties.

The programme, Organized by Abia State Due Process and Public Procurement Bureau in partnership with the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) is part of the European Union-funded Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (ROLAC) programme.

It also is expected to deepen awareness and strengthen the institutional capacity of relevant stakeholders, thereby fostering a more accountable and transparent governance culture in Abia State.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Due Process and Head of the Bureau, Dr. Oluebube Chukwu, commended the international parnters for selecting Abia as one of the beneficiary states for the initiative.

Dr. Chukwu pointed out that the objectives of the programme align with the vision of Dr Alex Otti’s determination to restructure Abia through instilling transparency, due process, and institutional reforms.

He described the strengthening of procurement practices as vital to curbing corruption and promoting good governance and assured the partners of the state government’s full cooperation and the Bureau’s readiness to implement key reforms that support accountability in public spending.

“We are committed to aligning our processes with international best practices and the anti-corruption reforms promoted by ROLAC,” he said.

In his presentation, the Programme Manager for Anti-Corruption under ROLAC, who outlined the broader goals of the EU-funded initiative, emphasized that procurement reform is the cornerstone of institutional integrity in public service.

Participants including procurement officers, civil servants, and representatives of civil society organisations, received intensive training on procurement law, transparency frameworks, and mechanisms for ensuring compliance in public contracts.