Oyo set to revoke contracts of 22 firms

The Oyo State government yesterday said it will not hesitate to revoke unexecuted contracts on renovation and construction projects, under its 2012-2018 UBEC/SUBEB Intervention Project from defaulting contractors in the state.

The Executive Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Nureni Adeniran, who made the disclosure while speaking with 22 contractors in Ibadan, said it was in line with directives from the Universal Basic Education Commission, Abuja, stating that the contracts would be terminated following breach of contract terms.

He noted that many of the contracts including those awarded by the previous administration had been dragging since 2018, adding that this was in contravention of the time frame of the contractual agreement which stipulated two weeks for completion of borehole and maximum of 24 weeks for completion of model schools.

Adeniran said the board would not hesitate to apply appropriate sanctions against the defaulting contractors who have failed to meet project specifications in the execution of UBEC/SUBEB jobs in the state.

He added that the contractors may face invitations from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), after the November, 2021 deadline, stating that they also risk being blacklisted by UBEC for further contracts of UBEC/SUBEB nationwide.

He said: “The message here is clear the job has taken too long, your failure to deliver on the agreed dates is affecting the wellbeing of our children, we will revoke the contract. We have issued several warnings; this is about the third time. We need to revoke the contract and give those that will do the job. The guideline is clear and we are not going to compromise.”

The SUBEB boss, who met the contractors alongside other members of the Board, queried the rationale behind the contractors’ refusal to deliver on time despite the mobilization fee government paid them.

Adeniran noted that as part of concerted efforts to enforce standards as well as ensure that there is only appropriate execution of projects the Board in 2019 did not revoke the contracts despite that they were awarded by the former administration.

(THISDAY)