Lagos Public Procurement Office Apologises After Backlash, Gives Detailed Explanation On How State’s Fund Was Spent

Fatai Idowu Onofowote, the director general of the Lagos State Office of Public Procurement, has expressed regret to the people of Lagos for the lack of thorough justifications in the first public procurement document that was made available.

According to Anaedoonline.ng, the public procurement office’s paperwork revealed absurd sums set aside for particular state jobs and projects, which led to harsh condemnation of the state government.

Recall that on Saturday, Funsho Doherty, the Action Democratic Congress’ (ADC) candidate for governor, questioned certain contract awards that had been authorised by the state’s procurement department in a post made through his X account. His remarks had made the contracts more vulnerable to criticism from Nigerians who thought the sum allotted for those activities was absurd.

The public procurement office, however, claimed in a statement issued on Tuesday that the data it retrieved was inaccurate and misinterpreted.

“Our attention has been drawn to recent concerns regarding certain information posted on the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency’s website. Acknowledging the misunderstanding arising from the lack of clarity, we recognise the unintended misinterpretations of this information. The agency is committed to ensuring transparency, accuracy and accountability in all the government transactions, as mandated by the Lagos State Public Procurement Law. We regret that specific details, particularly concerning the descriptions of government dealings, may have inadvertently led to confusion, impacting both governmental entities and corporate partners providing services to the state. This arose largely from the lack of detailed descriptions in the project information, which has inadvertently led to confusion in the public space,” statement by Onofowote read.

“We empathise with public concerns and extend our sincere apologies for any distress caused. It is never our intent to cast doubt or cause misunderstandings that might tarnish the reputation of respected individuals and organisations involved in these transactions. To address these concerns thoroughly , the agency has taken immediate steps, Line-by-by-line explanations of the contracts in question are attached herewith, aiming to provide absolute clarity and dispel any lingering misconceptions. The Agency will continue to improve its internal processes and communication methods as our commitment as a government is to offer clearer and more accessible information to the public. It is pivotal to stress that the Agency’s autonomy exists to ensure fairness and transparency, not to cause confusion or discredit any involved parties,” it added.

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