Nineteenth International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations

Abstract

Modern leadership recognizes high standards of public procurement systems, with considerable rates of efficiency, transparency, and accountability because public procurement makes a serious impact on public. Governments have already taken a number of steps to ensure accountability in public procurement by creating acts and establishing offices in order to standardize the procurement system. Despite all these efforts, ensuring sustainable accountability in undertaking national and regional public procurement process is still challenging. This paper compares the actual practice of accountability with the policy guidelines and standards of public procurement in Nigeria. Despite the efforts of government towards the realization of public accountability and compliance to procurement policies in public service, the situation is still not satisfactory. This could be due to so many factors. These factor need to be identified and analyzed. The methodology was drawn from both primary and secondary data. It has been found that the level of compliance with the procurement policy guidelines and required standards was low. It has also been found that the rate of accountability in public service was low. Government should orient citizens on the importance of compliance to the policy guidelines and standards. Government should improve monitoring measures to ensure compliance with policy standards. Government should empower the economic and crime commission with more autonomy of detecting and convicting offenders.