Oyo to revoke 22 contracts over ‘failure to meet school project specifications’

The Oyo government, on Thursday, said it would revoke the contracts given to 22 firms on renovation and construction works in schools across the state.

Some of the contractors were those engaged by the late Abiola Ajimobi, the immediate past governor of the state.

During a meeting with the 22 contractors in Ibadan, the Oyo capital, Nureni Adeniran, the executive chairman, Oyo state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), said that the contractors’ failure to execute the project meant that they had breached agreements entered with the state government.

Adeniran said the state will not hesitate to drag such contractors before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), adding that the action is backed by directives from Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in Abuja.

According to him, the contracts were awarded under the 2012-2018 UBEC/SUBEB intervention project.

“Many of the contracts, including those awarded by the previous administration, had been dragging since 2018. This is 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,” he said.

“The board will not hesitate to apply appropriate sanctions against these defaulting contractors, who have failed to meet project specifications in the execution of UBEC/SUBEB jobs in the state.

“The contractors may answer queries from the anti-graft body, EFCC, after the November 2021 deadline. They also risk being blacklisted by UBEC for further contracts of UBEC/SUBEB nationwide.

“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 reverse the contract.”

The state also said several warnings had been issued to the contractors in the past, adding that it will now go ahead and engage qualified contractors.