Delta fires 63 contractors for alleged substandard jobs

From Osakhare Erese, Asaba

The Delta State Government has fired sixty-three contractors for alleged substandard jobs and warned against the use of substandard materials, poorly executed jobs.
Competent sources within the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) who did not want their names mentioned in the print, confirmed the sacked contractors were caught in the web of poorly executed jobs, particularly in the various schools’ projects.
But the State Chairman, Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mr. Sunny Ogwu in a swift reaction, warned contractors awarded with various schools’ projects under the 2016 Universal Basic Education Commission, Delta State Universal Basic Education Board Intervention Projects against the use of substandard building materials and poorly executed jobs.
The SUBEB boss, however, assured the successful contractors who were awarded the various advertised jobs under the 2016 Federal Government/Delta State Government Counterpart Intervention Projects of all necessary support, including release of mobilization fee, adding that the board would not hesitate to revoke any of the jobs executed below standard.
Investigation revealed that over 6, 000 contractors between 2016/2017 had jostled for contract works at SUBEB, and had also commenced intense lobby to ensure they get the contracts awards, unfortunately many of them allegedly shortlisted were found incompetent even with their bogus proposals.
Expectedly, our informed sources said that the affected contractors, whose names were withheld for inexplicable reasons, were also given matching order to make refund of their mobilization fee collected.
Ogwu while calling on the “cleared contractors” to work closely with the Local Government Education Secretaries, and Head Teachers of the schools where the projects are located, maintained that due process was followed on the award of jobs, after a highly competitive and transparent bidding process, adding that the state government through the board, was irrevocably committed to the successful completion of all the projects in line with the SMART Agenda of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration.