By Uchino Amatey
Following its Invitation to tender in compliance with the Public Procurement Act of 2007, the Cross River State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has conducted its opening of Bids for 2017 Universal Basic Education (UBE) Intervention Projects today, Monday 24th September, 2018 at the State Universal Basic Education Board, Calabar.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Chairman, SUBEB, Dr Stephen Odey reiterated the Board’s passion in improving the basic education sector in the State, he said the present administration of Governor Ben Ayade has not relented in its commitment and will continue to strive to give Cross Riverians the best in terms of basic education.
Warning against false allegations and petitions concerning the workings of the Board, the SUBEB Boss said “there is a lot of misconception by people about the operations of the board. Let me use this opportunity to clarify the way SUBEB works. SUBEB is the most organised institution I have ever seen out of all the places I have worked, in terms of all the methods and measures that have been put in place by UBEC and SUBEB. When funds are accessed through counterpart funding, we do not just go ahead to appropriate that money, we look at the need assessment of our state, those schools that require intervention, we prepare our action plan based on the money we have in the account and the costing by our physical planning unit, we then implement after approval from UBEC.”
“Every money in the account is tied to a project, we are very transparent and we do not just act on our own. That is why all those who have been spending their time writing frivolous petitions against SUBEB have never succeeded because our records are straight,” he emphasized.
While stating that no project will be abandoned under his watch, he said the board is adopting new strategies for project monitoring and also setting the right mechanisms in place to check project abandonment.
Also speaking, the South-South Zonal Commissioner, Independent and Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), Sola Shodipo commended the board for its transparency.
“Our observation is to acknowdege the very thorough exercise that we have witnessed here today, the boxes were perfectly under lock and key before they were opened, and we are all witnesses to how the bids were opened. We have seen documents from SUBEB showing that the jobs were advertised, even the extension of the date was also properly advertised. That says alot about the process, we have been part of a very thorough, transparent process," he said.
Commending the Board for its ability to ensure that due process is observed in all its undertakings, the Director General, Due Process & Price Intelligence Bureau, Barr. Alphonsus Eba said the Bureau is in place to ensure that things are done the right way, “we are to ensure that the process is right, the winner is right and the cost is right,” he said.
The Director General who was represented by Esther Ushie, advised contractors to always ensure that they purchase their bidding forms early, study requirements and comply with the guidelines.
Ushie further thanked contractors for partnering with the State and urged them to contribute their own quota to the achievement of Governor Ben Ayade’s vision for basic education.
An Observer from the Budget Transparency and Accountability network (BTAN), Glory Etokeren urged the technical and evaluation committee to ensure that the transparency is sustained and to only award contracts to those who meet the required standards.
Speaking on behalf of Contractors present, Contractor, Madoxx projects Limited, Sunny Onoriebe thanked the Board for a successful exercise, stating that “the process was transparent, there was no foul play.”
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