By Emma Una, CALABAR

THE Chairman of Cross River State Basic Education Board, Dr Stephen Odey, has called on contractors who applied for the construction and rehabilitation of primary school blocks in the 2020 UBE Intervention projects in public schools in the state to execute quality jobs that will meet the required standard.

Dr Odey who stated this during the Bid Opening  exercise on Wednesday, expressed gratitude to Governor Ayade for constantly providing the modalities for the board to access the UBE Intervention funds.

He told the contractors that fairness and transparency has always been the guiding principle of the Board and will remain the hallmark of all its dealings.

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 “We are following the National Procurement Act and the State Procurement Law. We are not just working without direction.

“We are very transparent, so if you followed the law and adhered to the qualification requirements, then you should not have any problems,” he said.

The SUBEB boss, who was represented by Mr Nkanu Egbula, said contractors who are successful should execute  jobs that will meet the required specifications within the duration of time allotted for the projects.

Speaking at the event, the State Coordinator, Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, Mrs Gloria Lawani said UBEC’s role, asides funding, is to monitor projects to ensure compliance to due process.

She  enjoined contractors to prioritise quality of job to avoid being blacklisted.

In his remarks, the Director Planning, Research and Statistics (PRS), SUBEB, Mr. Augustine Ekereke, said the UBE Intervention funds policy is to address the challenges in education mainly in access and quality.

He said the importance of the exercise cannot be overemphasised as funds are used to address the infrastructural needs in the school system through construction and rehabilitation of classroom blocks, lavatories, libraries amongst others.

An observer from the Obong Denis Udo-Inyang Foundation, Mr. Emem Udo-Inyang stated that the exercise was up to standard and in conformity with the public procurement act of 2007.

“We have been here several times to observe the procurement exercise in SUBEB.

“Just like others in the past, this exercise has been good and up to standard,” he reiterated.

Vanguard News Nigeria