IPCR Commended for Robust Financial Mgt, Procurement System

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) has commended the Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) for its robust and prudent resource management and procurement process, which it said complied with the extant laws of the country.

The Director-General of the BPSR, Dasuki Ibrahim Arabi, gave the commendation when he led a team of the Bureau to the IPCR for the presentation of the statutory assessment report of the activities of IPCR as well as presentation of awards to the Institute.

Arabi congratulated Dr. Joseph Ochogwu on his appointment as the director-general of IPCR, adding that it did not come as a surprise to him because of Ochogwu’s commitment to tackling the enormous problems confronting the country through thorough conflict resolution mechanisms.

He said: “IPCR has robust public financial management, financial and accounting policies that comply with financial regulations which it clearly reviews to ensure efficient and reliable mechanism in line with the extant laws of the country.”

On procurement, Arabi expressed satisfaction with the procurement process of the institute, stressing that it has established adequate systems and procedures as well as built experienced personnel with the required capacity to exercise procurement activities.

He noted that the institute awards contracts only to bidders that comply with all the specifications for the procurement process and procedures, even as he assured them that the Bureau would work with the institute to improve their capacity

Arabi added that the IPCR has met the expectations of all the critical goals of the institute, and declared as a Third Level Silver Level organisation, explaining that the IPCR in meeting the expectations has performed consistently in areas of responsibility and the quality of work generally.

He, however, recommended that the institute should develop a stakeholder’s engagement mechanism, assess the performance of staff, establish award systems, digitalise  data processes and  identify short and long term collaboration with partners as well as  establish health and safety policies for the well-being of staff.

The Bureau boss also recommended that the institute develop asset management and inclusive policy, develop a formal code of conduct and develop operations and strategic plan and internal control system and to create a mechanism to collaborate with development partners as well as insurance policies for its officers and create anti-corruption standards.

He charged them to address some of the shortcomings of the Institute in order to achieve the goals of the institute through innovation, planning and deployment of self-assessment tools even as he advised them to conduct periodic assessment of their performance.

In his reaction, the IPCR Director-General, Ochogwu, expressed happiness with the objective assessment of the Institute by the Bureau, adding that that will encourage the Institute to address their challenges within their operational system and work in synergy to achieve its mandate through a resource mobilisation plan.

The DG told the visiting team that IPCR is ready to partner of the BPSR, adding that what the Bureau is doing is in line with global services.