Award Of N13bn Secretariat Project In Asaba Followed Due Process – Delta Procurement Commission

Contrary to media reports that the Delta state N13billion new secretariat project awarded to supposedly a Chinese firm, North China Construction Company Limited didn’t follow due contract award process, the Delta State Public Procurement Commission (DSPPC), says there was actually competitive bidding before the contract was awarded.

There have been contention media reports that the North China Construction Company, a solely Nigerian owned company which is handling the project didn’t bid for it.

Reports claim that the project was not bid for as the contract was solely awarded to the governor’s friend to pay him back for his financial roles in the 2015 and subsequent 2019 governorship election.

But the Director-General of the Commission, Mr. Joseph Duke Okeze, says it was not true that there was not bid process for the project.

Mr. Okeze spoke at a follow-up sensitization workshop for the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), contractors and the media in Asaba, the state capital at the weekend.

Fielding questions from media representatives at the event, Okeze said that the agency would already ensured that there is no faulty procurement in the award of contracts in the state.

“I can tell you that there are processes for any contract to be awarded and I can assure you that all processes leading to the award of that contract were followed.

“Both the secretariat and also the storm water project followed due processes of contract award.

“But we must understand something, I cannot give you contract when I know you don’t have the capacity to handle such contract, the reason is that Delta state government believes in qualitative work so I can assure you that all the processes were followed. You can go to the project site to see the quality of work being done”.

He said that the attainment of transparency, competitiveness, cost effectiveness and professionalism in the public sector procurement system are some of things the agency had looked into in that project.

“It is only when there is faulty procurement in contract award that we wade in because we have a complaint session for whoever disagrees with contract bidding, contract award process to come over to the commission to register their grievance”.

Responding to allegations of bribes and kickbacks often demanded from contractors by officials of ministries, departments and agencies before processing contractors’ files and payments, the commission’s DG urged contractors and CSOs to always follow the channel of complaint opened by the commission to report such issues.

He however added that in such cases, after its investigations, the commission on its part would recommend to the Public Procurement Council (PPC) headed by the governor issues of serious breaches of the law or regulations or guidelines including disciplinary measures of the accounting officer of any procurement entity when necessary.

He urged contractors to always channel their complaint through their project manager rather than making unsubstantiated claims about what they face while pursuing contract payment.

“Every project has a project manager and procuring entity after the project has been awarded. The accounting officer would appoint a professional staff to that project so that project manager is your link, is the one the contractor talked to, and liaise with to the procuring entity. You don’t have business with any other staff of the ministry so if you are bypassing the project manager assigned to you to supervise your project, you may fall victim to extortionists”.

At the interaction session, Mr. James Owolabi, gave an overview of the Delta State public procurement law 2016, alongside new information in public procurement practice in the state.