At least 200 people have reportedly started the bidding process to qualify as contractors for the construction of schools, boreholes, street lights among others under the Imo state Universal Basic Education Board school projects.
The biding process continued on Monday at the office of the IMSUBEB, located at Owerri- Port Harcourt road in the state.
The Executive Chairman of IMSUBEB, a former Deputy governor of the state, Ada Okwuonu, while commenting on the process said, “On the 5th of Aug 2023. We advertise for contracts of certain projects. These projects are of new construction of classrooms blocks. Renovation of dilapidated projects. Sinking of boreholes and Solar streets lights among others. They are reasonably in quantity. People showed great interest and they applied. We decided to make it public by inviting the contractors.
“People have bided. We invited those that have applied so that as the board will officially unveil the system. We started with the technical aspect of it, to be followed by finance. The projects spread across the 27 LGAs. We shall go through their profile to know their capability. They must be financially feat. The time frame for big construction latest one year, other ones should not take more than three months.”
The IMSUBEB procurement Department, headed by Mrs. Chinyere Njoku said, “I don’t have the actual statistics now for those who have applied but they are over two hundred of them who applied. We have started with our technical bid opening. It will give rise to the financial bid opening. The people that made the eligibility requirement would be shortlisted as pre-qualified persons and in the financial bid opening that will commence on Monday, the successful people at this stage will be the ones to participate.”
On the part of the Finance and Account Department of the IMSUBEB, headed by the Director, Theresa Okoro, opined that, “The finance biding stage will be fair, free of the award of contract. So, be it the lowest or highest bidder will not make you to get the contract. What we are looking at is the company profile and within the range that can do the contract we will give it to you.”
Head of the Works Department of IMSUBEB, Chijioke Onyenobi, said, “We will follow the due process. After the awarding of the contracts we enter into the execution of the projects at this stage we make sure we monitor all the projects site by site. We checkmate the contractors, supervise their jobs from foundation to completion to make sure standards are maintained. We will not compromise.”
Also, the Governor Hope Uzodimma’s Special Adviser, on IMSUBEB, Mrs. Stella Ukagba, said, “It is a very successful one. Everything went on orderly. We thank the governor for approving more especially paying the counterpart funding. This shows the governor has at heart education sector.”
Speaking, one of the bidders, Gilbert Okoliegbe, admonished, “Fellow contractors to be upright with the jobs given to them so that it will be a success. We are happy that the project is 2021, 2022 and 2023. Three section at the same time. It is a good one for us.”
