Benue SUBEB has accessed N4bn UBEC funds | EduCeleb
EduCeleb
6th November 2020
The Benue State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has accessed about Four Billion, One Hundred and Forty Million, Four Hundred and Fourteen Thousand, Seven hundred and Forty Three Naira, Ninety Six Kobo ( N4, 140,414,743.96) to support basic education infrastructure in the state.
This is according to the state Commissioner for Education Professor Dennis Ityavyar who declared open the Bids’ for the Utilization of 4th Quarter 2018 to 4th Quarter 2019 Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and Benue State Government Intervention Funds.
Ityavyar, represented by the Special Adviser to the Governor of Benue State on Basic Education, Mr Sarwuan Tarnongo, made this known in his keynote address at the SUBEB headquarters in Makurdi, describing the development under Governor Samuel Ortom’s administration as a rare feat.
Ityavyar stated that apart from the collaborative efforts with UBEC, Benue State Government on its own has committed huge resources for infrastructural development of Basic Education in the State as evident in the recent procurement of 10,000 plastic chairs and tables.
He called on contactors who may not be successful in the bidding process never to give up but endeavor to try again some other time.
The Commissioner also cautioned those that would be selected not to regard the award of Government contracts as Political patronage and abide strictly by the terms and conditions of their contracts.
For those who would collect mobilization fee only to abandoned the projects, the Commissioner adviced them to have a rethink as procurement offences relating to Public procurement as defined in section 58 and 59 of of Public Procurement Act shall apply accordingly.
Ityavyar charged officials of the Board to maintain constant monitoring of the projects to ensure quality projects execution in line with professionalism, competence and integrity.
He commended UBEC for supporting and finding viable projects in Benue Basic Education Schools and acknowledged the pragmatic leadership of Governor Ortom for tirelessly supporting Basic Education in the State.
Earlier, the Executive Chairman SUBEB, Comrade Joseph Utse stated that the huge investment through the collaborative efforts of Federal Government and Benue State Government geared towards providing unfettered access to quality basic education to all school aged children.
The Chairman further stated that SUBEB under his leadership is fully committed in promoting good governance as the Board has followed a clear, consistent and transparent procurement process that would eliminate corruption and build stakeholders’ confidence by adoption of the open competitive bidding process.
He assured that at the end of the bidding stage, merit, capability and quality shall be the yardstick for selection and Award of contracts.
On her part, the Benue State Coordinator UBEC, Augustina Sanchi, called on the would be contactors to ensure quality projects execution for Benue Children.
She tasked SUBEB management to monitor the projects with the view to ensure quality work done and expressed hope that transparency would be adhered to in the selection process, while she also acknowledged Governor Ortom’s passion for basic education in the State.
The Director General, Benue State Public Procurement Commission, Prince Emmanuel Okwori, explained that the principal hallmarks of Proficient Public Procurement are centered on economy, efficiency, competition, fairness and equity, reliability, transparency, accountability and ethical standard as contained in section 59(2) Public Procurement Law, 2020.
The Director General further explained that the Benue State e -Procurement system is a centralized unique platform for all the State Miniseries, Department and Agencies to publish tenders, for contractors to submit their bid online, and where contractors have to register themselves on the Benue State e -Procurement portal to participate in any tender henceforth.
Okwori thanked the Executive Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and Management for organizing the event that gave him the opportunity to interact with contractors and other stakeholders to intimate them on the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission and e-Procurement system.
Nigerian NewDirect reports that Mrs. Veronica Turbo spoke on behalf of all the contractors, appreciated SUBEB for the competitive level playing ground and transparency in the process as well as assured that quality projects execution will be in line with standards obtainable any where in the country.