The Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, in collaboration with Anambra State Universal Basic Education, ASUBEB, has held the public bid and tender opening of the UBE/FGN 2019, 2020 and 2021 intervention funds projects.
The event took place at the Utility Hall of ASUBEB in Awka, and attracted service providers or their representatives, officials from Anambra State Ministries, Departments and Agencies, civil society organizations, anti-graft agencies, community-based organizations, among others.
Declaring the tender bid open, the Executive Chairman of ASUBEB, Dr Vera Nwadinobi, said that the 2019, 2020 and 2021 interventions are under the UBEC marching Grant Scheme for primary and junior secondary schools in Anambra State, and appreciated Governor Chukwuma Soludo who made it possible for ASUBEB to access the FG/UBEC grants for three years by paying the counterpart cash contributions for the scheme, describing him as a solution provider.
Dr Nwadinobi revealed that Anambra had been unable to access these grants because of its inability to pay its share of contributory funding, and noted that accessing the grants will have an invaluable impact on the infrastructural needs of schools in the state.
She affirmed that what they are doing in the tender bid opening is in line with the public procurement Act of 2007 or law of the federal and state governments respectively; as the bidding process is a very important component of procurement law, which emphasises competition required by the law, transparency and accountability in the award of contracts.
The ASUBEB Chairman also explained that as part of the requirement of the law, the board advertised in the last six weeks for tender in two national dailies, one local daily and the board’s website in order to give all that are interested the opportunity to compete for the job outlined in the action plan for each year.
For the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, ASUBEB, Dr Uchenna Ezeani, the official opening ceremony of the tender bid is the beginning of the process to provide conducive school environment for the children who are the leaders of tomorrow.
He pointed out that Governor Soludo, in his magnanimity, offset the backlog of the funds owed so that Anambra schools will be brought back to what they used to be, and promised that the board will ensure that whoever emerges successful after the exercise will do a good job.
Speaking to the ABS, some of the bidders, Mr. Emeka Bosah and Mr. Paul Achizo, who bid for the renovation and construction of classroom blocks respectively, said they expect the board to follow the procurement procedures, treat all bidders fairly, and that whoever wins should be given the job.
The official opening of the tender bids by the ASUBEB Chairman, alongside board members formed the highpoint of the day.
Comments are closed for this post.