Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria, Prof Mohammed Aliyu has lamented that procurement and supply chain management tasks are being done by those who are not trained specialists.
Speaking in Lagos, during a brief ceremony to welcome those admitted for the 2025 Batch A graduate conversion programme of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria, Aliyu particularly lamented that this scenario is peculiar to the public sector.
This, he said, was evident in terms of the scheme of service for purchasing and supply chain management experts which makes it difficult for them to make meaningful contributions.
He advocated that the office of procurement and supply chain manager should not be occupied by anybody with just any other degree, but those who have undergone special training.
He said, “I congratulate you on your choice and on your good luck in securing admission into this great institute of learning to professionalize and free yourself from mid-career crisis because there are sector specialists in procurement function who derive joy in hijacking legitimate procurement professional jobs.
“The World Bank Study and Report, popularly referred to as the Country Procurement Assessment Report, which led to the establishment of Act 14 of 2007, provided sound and relevant partway, policy and procedures which would have helped both government and procurement professionals to become more responsible but were left unimplemented to the letter.
“Ladies and gentlemen, can we, at this point, ask ourselves whether any nation or organization can grow, function and even prosper without a sound, vibrant and indeed diligent procurement and supply chain management workforce? The answer is always a resounding capital No.
“The reason is predicated on the fact that the growth and development of any nation, organization and even individual standard of living are always measured by the quality of resources available to support and advance his or her life appropriately.”
Speaking on the importance of the conversion programme, he said procurement ensures value for money, builds sound relationships and improves profitability.
“I must be quick to remind you that you will now discover that you have placed upon your individual and collective heads a heavy responsibility which means the responsibility to define, maintain and advance the cause, and good reputation of CIPSMN as represented by the quality of its professional display over the years and the excellence it stands for in all its associated components anchored on ethics, professionalism, policy and procedures implementation.”
Going down memory lane, Aliyu said the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria has a long history as a place of useful learning.
He said, “By coming to the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria, you have gained membership in one of Africa’s largest professional bodies and one of its best to redirect your way to the top and reinvent yourself because it is the precursor for good governance, authentic dynamic leadership trait that makes the cycle or excellence leadership complete in rendering good service.
