By Awwal Umar Kontagora The United Nations Women and the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) are collaborating to strengthen ongo...
The United Nations Women and the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) are collaborating to strengthen ongoing UN reforms and policies on Affirmative Procurement for Women Empowerment to enhance women's participation in governance.
The Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr. Adebowale A. Adedokun, MCIPS, ACFE, while receiving the UN Women delegation in his office, led by Mrs. Beatrice Eyong, the United Nations Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, reaffirmed the Bureau’s commitment to supporting Affirmative Procurement initiatives aimed at advancing women’s economic empowerment.
Dr. Adedokun stated that the BPP, as a member of the Steering Committee on Women Empowerment and Women Participation in Public Governance, has been actively advocating for the adoption and harmonization of Affirmative Procurement policies to ensure increased opportunities for women in public procurement processes.
He assured the UN Women delegation that the BPP, as a statutory entity, possesses the legal framework and institutional capacity to collaborate effectively with the UN team in achieving the National Policy and Guidelines on Women’s Economic Empowerment.
In her remarks, Mrs. Beatrice Eyong expressed appreciation for the Bureau’s ongoing support and reaffirmed the UN Women's commitment to working closely with the BPP to achieve the shared objectives of enhancing women’s participation in public procurement.
She highlighted some achievements in Affirmative Procurement, including securing a 30% engagement quota for women in public contracts and expanding opportunities for women entrepreneurs to access funding and create decent jobs. She emphasized that these initiatives empower women to be more proactive in business and governance.
Mrs. Eyong also sought further support from the Bureau to facilitate the development of an official draft of the National Policy and Guidelines on Women’s Economic Empowerment. She noted that this policy framework would help fulfill the mandates assigned by member states to support governments in implementing international standards for gender equality. She added that, through coordination and operational strategies, the UN Women would continue to support government programs in collaboration with civil society and the private sector.
Dr. Adedokun pledged the Bureau’s full support for obtaining technical assistance to develop the National Policy and Guidelines on Affirmative Procurement. He emphasized that this initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to foster inclusive economic growth and promote gender equality in governance and public procurement.
No comments