FROM: PAUL ORUDE BAUCHI
The Bauchi State Government has released the sum of over N1.042
billion as its 2016 counterpart fund for the execution of projects in
basic education in the state.
This was disclosed by the Director Planning, Research and statistics
of the Bauchi State Universal Basic Education ceremony on Board
(SUBEB), Alhaji Abubakar Mansur Abdu, during the BIDS opening
(Pre-Qualification) ceremony for the 2016 UBEC/SUBEB intervention
Projects, in Bauchi, on Monday.
Abdu commended the current leadership of SUBEB for its commitment to ensuring transparency in project implementation in the state.
In his address, the Executive Chairman of SUBEB, Prof. Yahya
Ibraheem Yero, said that the occasion marked another milestone in the
history of SUBEB for the efforts put in place by the administration of
Governor Mohammed Abubakar in providing counterpart fund and also
ensuring strict compliance to laid down procedures for award of
contracts.
Yero disclosed that no fewer than 2, 632 bidders have
responded to advertisement placed by the Board in two national dailies
for interested bidders to submit their profile within two weeks.
He said: “The Board’s evaluation Committee shall evaluate all the bids
submitted in two weeks from Tuesday, December 5, to Friday, December 22. Thereafter the Board’s Tenders Committee shall within one week analyse the report, process and recommend the actual
successful bidders to be awarded contract to the Board for its
ratification and further recommendation to the Due Process Office for
the issuance No Objection certificate.
“It is our hope that all the necessary formalities for the award of
contract will be completed in January 2018 and the execution of the
contract will commence in February, 2018”
He listed the scope of work to include construction of 50 classrooms,
renovation of 174 others, 18 number of fence, 59 VIP Toilets, 30
boreholes, 39 landscaping, 8, 461 pupils furniture and 320 teachers’
furniture.
The SUBEB Executive Chairman warned contractors that the Board would
not pay for services/projects not rendered or poorly executed projects
saying “It is our duty today to put a stop to the trend of suing
government money for self-enrichment”
He assured of the Board’s determination to ensure accountability and
transparency which he argued “is the cornerstone of the purposeful and people-oriented Government of Bauchi State.”
While assuring bidders that all the laid down procedures would be
strictly followed in the evaluation, short-listing and selection
process to ensure fairness, he, however, said that every contract
entered into in the name of SUBEB will be strictly inspected,
monitored and executed to specification.”
In his remarks, Zonal Director of UBEC, Alhaji Umar Jidda, who was
Represented, by Alhaji Munir Mijinyawa from SUBEB, said that a lot of
positive developments have been witnessed under SUBEB since Prof. Yero assumed leadership.
“Most projects under his leadership have been carried out well and he
has introduced transparency. I want to assure SUBEB of our support to
continue to achieve your goals and set targets,” Jidda said.
He said that the SUBEB in the state has executed projects that will
enable it to access the Good Performance Fund, saying that although
the fund has been suspended in the meantime, one is its open, “the sky
is the limit for in terms of accessing the Good Performance Fund”
Jidda assured qualified bidders that they would be awarded the
contract as the era of business as usual is gone and the new era is
“business unusual” where a lot of things are being done according to
laid down procedures and transparency.”