Auctioneering profession has a very long history around the world. Societies in the past have used it to generate wealth for the well-being of their members. Since then, the trend has continued in generating revenues to government at all levels and empowering it citizens through the sales of items in an open biding to the members of the general public.
A public licensed auctioneer is he or she that has registered with the relevant bodies in compliance with the provisions of the Bureau of Public Procurement regulations. Relevant government ministries, agencies, and departments should know that engaging the services of an auctioneer is a great advantage. This is because, in the processes of discharging the auction sales, there are some ethics that are technically needed to be observed to avoid litigations.
For instance, there are many properties seized by the anti-graft agencies throughout the country. In disposing such items, extra caution needs to be taken to avoid seeking redress in the court. That is why I am advising that, in such scenario an experienced auctioneer is needed to dispose such items, not just by ringing the bell, but to be able to provide technical knowhow to the process.
From experience, it has been observed that many auction sales conducted are not properly guided by these technicalities and ethnics of the profession.
To engage an auctioneer it is not just by submitting a profile, however an interaction needed to take place between the agency seeking such services and the auctioneer to advice on how to go about the process of observance of the law guiding the profession. Therefore engaging the services of a qualified and experienced public auctioneer will do more good to any ministry conducting such sales and contributes to the internally generated revenue of the country.
Other multiple reasons of seeking the services of professional auctioneer includes; providing a level playing ground for buyers to bid freely for their choices of times, generating revenue for the government at all levels, helping government in disposing hard sales items among other services. It is only an experienced professional auctioneer will observe and draws attention of any agency engaging its services on how to go about the process. For example when I was appointed to sell items belonging to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), based on my experience and professionalism, I realized that the non co assets were not part of the properties to be handled over to the successors of the newly distribution companies.
This has made the government to realize over 20 billion naira from the sales of the assets. The Managing Director NELMCO, under the leadership of Engineer Adebayo was given award for successful disposal of the assets because of his various consultations with the stakeholders. This is just one example among many other benefits of engaging the services of a professional auctioneer. Therefore, whenever the need arises of seeking the services of an auctioneer, engage the services of a professional one who has wide knowledge in order to avoid litigations.
Special appeal to ministries and agencies who are responsible for the disposal of the recovered and fortified items to speed up for there disposal as they are loosing value day by day as a result of many factors like, technical deformity, fair wear and tear and weather defection.
If all military and paramilitary agencies should comply with the Bureau of Public Procurement policy in carrying out sales of both seized and unserviceable items within their commands they will generate a lot of revenue and overcome self induced economic sabotage.
The Custom law gave power to the Hon. Minister of Finance who is also the Chairman of the Board of Custom should decide how seized items can be sold through an agent, someone who has all the requirements to sale public properties and should not be sold through allocation as the case now. An allocation is serving where anticipated revenue can not be realized and not in the interest of the Government or the general public.
The right thing should be done by custodians of all items due for public auction sale to save Nigeria from further economic sabotage.
Kiliya is the National President of Nigeria Association of Auctioneers and also an auctioneering consultant with a cognitive experience of over 4 decades wrote this piece from Abuja and can be reached via: [email protected]