News Investigators/ Adebowale Adedokun, Director-General, Bureau of Public Procurement(BPP), has urged the South-South Development Commission (SSDC) to strictly comply with the Public Procurement Act, 2007. Mr Adedokun, who spoke on the theme, “Essentials of the Public Procurement”, described procurement as a strategic instrument for national development rather than merely a purchasing function. “Public procurement is the bridge between budget approval and service delivery. The BPP boss drew attention to recent amendments under the Finance Act, noting that tenders board decisions now required written confirmation by the political head within a specified period. Mr Adedokun urged the commission to leverage public procurement as a strategic tool for driving sustainable development in the South-South region through impactful investments in infrastructure, education, tourism, energy and other critical sectors.