Beloved Friends and Colleagues
1. Our theme for today’s reflection is Business Review Systems-BSR. I guess a good number of us are at home with that concept. It is being defined technically as “set of principles, practices, and procedures that are applied to specific activities to achieve a specific result’. Since October 2018 we have been implementing a HIV Epidemic control program with CDC in the eastern part of Nigeria. July 18th through 29th 2022 has been set aside for the BSR exercise in Delta and the HQ. It is being designed to review our documents, quality control policies, and the overall nature of our organizational practices in the context of the 4GATES HIV Epidemic control program.
Important in the exercise involves a review of the systems components- checklists, forms, reports, purchased items, equipment, tools, software, materials and supplies, bought and procured within the lifecycle of the project.
2. As an Organization, CDC has reposed on us some trust. Funds were advanced to us for project implementation purposes. We have used these funds as directed by the funders for the past five years. The time has come to account. We are being required to show the evidence of our stewardship in clear and transparent manner. We have responsibility towards our funders and our beneficiaries. It is important, therefore, that we understand what roles we are expected to play.
3. Every Staff, especially those working and living on the 4GATES Program, should as a matter of urgency, sit up to the demands of accountability and transparency in process and procedures. Those in Programs ,Grants, Finance and Audit including the Communication and general Administration, including procurement and the ICT should ensure that they are on top of their games. We would be very intolerant of excuses and long stories. Consequently, the Chief of Party of the 4GATES Program and the Director of that Program, should set up a two- or three-man team, to oversee the entire processes, of the Business systems, liaising with the various units and ensuring that the machinery for a comprehensive review of all our tools and instruments of work are functional and are results-ready before the D-Day. There would be intermittent reports to the SMT before the final bell tolls.
