By Wole Adedeji, Ilorin.
The Universal Basic Education Board, UBEC has commended Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for his administration’s serial compliance with the rules guiding the execution of contracts under the Board.
Contrary to this, the immediate past Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed and his Finance Commissioner, Mr. Ademola Nurudeen Banu are presently facing court trials over alleged non-compliance with the rules guiding the funds of the Board while in office.
They were said to have among others, allegedly diverted the funds released by UBEC head office in Abuja for other purposes that the funds were not meant for.
However, the North Central Zone Director of the Board, Elder Edward Abalaka however at an opening ceremony for the 1st and 2nd Quarter of the 2024 FGN/UBEC/ SUBEB intervention projects in Ilorin, the State capital commended the governor for being exemplary in judiciously handling the Board’s fund meant for Kwara State.
According to him, not less than 258 contractors bided for various contracts which the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) opened after advertising for tenders in both the local and national newspapers.
The projects he said, covered construction and remodeling of classrooms and VIP toilets, fabrication of teachers and pupils’ furniture, drilling and installation of motorized solar boreholes, and procurement of essential equipment, among others.
The Director said Kwara under Governor AbdulRazaq had been a pace setter in the area of compliance with the necessary procedures as far as the execution of UBEC intervention projects are concerned including the ones in question.
He, however, urged the contractors handling projects in Kwara State to execute them in line with specifications, warning them that poor execution and abandonment of UBEC projects would not be tolerated in any form.
Chairman of the State Board, Prof Sheu Raheem Adaramaja, said the projects were crucial to enhancing the learning environment, promoting quality education, and ultimately benefiting the students, teachers, and communities.
His words: “we expect a competitive bidding process, and we assure that our evaluation will be transparent, fair, and compliant with procurement regulations.
“As we move forward, I encourage stakeholders to work together to ensure that these projects are delivered efficiently, effectively and to the specifications”.
Professor Adaramaja disclosed that Governor AbdulRazaq had newly paid into the Board’s accounts, a counterpart fund for the assessment of the 3rd and 4th quarters of 2024, announcing that the Board would soon advertise tenders.
“The Board has placed advert in local and national newspapers for tenders in eight categories. They included construction of a block of two classrooms with offices made up of 70 classrooms with 35 offices, construction of VIP Toilet in 28 locations, remodeling of 110 classrooms, fabrication of teachers and pupils’ furniture which is 4652/391 units as well as drilling and installation of motorized solar boreholes in 11 locations.
“Other projects are the procurement of brand new Toyota Hiace 18 seater bus (2023 Model) for Quality Assurance Directorate (1 Number), ECCDE plastic chairs and tables (170 sets) and safe school initiative in the selected schools in Asa, Kaiama, Offa, Ilorin West, and Ilorin South LGAs”, he said.
The Board Chairman commended Governor AbdulRazaq for his administration’s commitment to educational development and the support being enjoyed by the Federal Government through the Universal Basics Education Board (UBEC).