Date: 2023-09-20

•As Gov AbdulRazaq harps on quality job execution, engagement of local artisans

Kwara State Government on Wednesday opened bids for the year 2020 FGN-UBEC/SUBEB projects for the state primary and junior secondary schools with Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq calling on successful bidders to execute the jobs according to the specifications and in line with the Bureau of Public Procurement Act of year 2007.

Speaking at the bid opening ceremony in Ilorin, the Governor said the projects seek to improve the educational infrastructure and boost the local economy.

"Dear bidders, as you all know that every competition is bound to produce the winner, I sincerely implore the victors of today's bid opening to ensure that no stone is left unturned in ensuring that the projects allotted meet up to the prescribed standard. We will not accept anything that falls below the standard advertised or paid for," he said.

"Besides improving educational infrastructure, what we are doing also comes with huge socioeconomic benefits for our state. I believe that these projects will not only improve the level of basic education in the State, it will also give job opportunities to artisans who will work at the project sites.

Contractors are implored to patronize local artisans and suppliers in an attempt to deliver high-quality jobs."

The 2020 bidding, with its seven categories (A-G), is to cover the construction of blocks of classrooms with offices; construction of V.I.P toilets with deep wells; remodeling of classrooms; provision of students furniture (2602 Units); provision of teachers furniture (480 Sets); water & sanitation; and provision of ECCDE plastic furniture (376 sets) respectively.

Represented by deputy Governor Kayode Alabi, AbdulRazaq said the pride of all developed countries of the world depends largely on the structure, status and achievement of their education sector, adding this necessitates the need to put all machineries in place to bring the education level in the state to an enviable height.

He said the administration will not relent in its efforts to do everything humanly possible to bring back the memories of good times in Kwara.

AbdulRazaq, while congratulating the Kwara SUBEB for the successful completion of the years 2014-2019 project execution, charged them to, as always, initiate every measure to ensure quality supervision and monitoring of the projects in order to guarantee value for money in the execution of the jobs.

He also acknowledged the roles of Bureau of Public Procurement and the state State Public Procurement Agency for always ensuring the success of every programme of the administration.

"We are doing everything possible to be as inclusive as possible. However, experiences have shown that things can only go round gradually. To those who may not be considered after the bids opening, I urge you to wait for the 2021 bid which will be advertised soon.

"It is important to mention that we need to properly execute all outstanding projects and be certified good before new grants are accessed. We have only just implemented the ones we accessed for a period stretching between 2014 and 2019. This explains some of the outstanding we have. The payment for 2020 matching grants shows our commitment to constantly improve the quality of education in the state," the Governor added.

In attendance were the representative of the state Commissioner for Education and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs. Rebecca Olanrewaju Bake; Chairman Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Prof Sheu Raheem Adaramaja and other members of the Board; Chairman State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) Abubakar Taoheed Bello; representative of the Head of Service and Permanent Secretary Establishment Alhaji Muhammed Ibrahim; 1st Makama Ilorin Alhaji Ibrahim Oniye; UBEC's representative Mrs. Victoria Sofolahan; General Manager, Kwara State Public

Procurement Agency QES AbdulRaheem Abdulbaqi; and dozens of bidding companies, among others. Prof Adaramaja, in his remarks, disclosed that 215 contractors bidded for different categories of projects, adding that the Board followed all necessary guidelines as entrenched in the state Bureau of Public Procurement Act of 2007.

He said the 2020 bid opening became a reality because of the effective utilization of 2014-2019 UBEC/KWSUBEB intervention funds by the state government.

He commended Governor AbdulRazaq for his government's commitment to prompt payment of counterpart funds including his recent approval of the 2021 counterpart funds, saying all this explains the high premium the administration places on the education sector.