Determined to address challenges confronting Rivers State, the governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has approved termination of the N134billion contract awarded to the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) for the renovation, retrofitting, and furnishing of the State Secretariat Complex awarded at the twilight of the emergency rule.
Aside from that, Fubara approved the establishment of Computer-Based Test Centres across the three Senatorial districts and 23 local government areas of the State, to ensure the state remains at par with its counterparts across the country.
The decision was approved during the State Executive Council’s meeting, which is the first after the expiration of the emergency rule in Rivers.
The meeting, which was held at the Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Port Harcourt, on Thursday, was presided over by Fubara.
Briefing the press shortly after the Council meeting, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications, Dr. Honour Sirawoo, said the Council considered sundry issues in education, employment generation, projects, and flash floods being experienced in some parts of the State.
Sirawoo noted that it was a great concern to the Council on the mode of waste disposal by the citizens, which tends to block water channels, adding that the Council has directed immediate action to mitigate such environmental behavior and tackle the flash flood in the State.
On his part, the Permanent Secretary, Works, Austin Hart, noted that the Council decision includes the cancellation of the Secretariat Complex contract awarded at the cost of N134 billion and the refund of N20 billion paid to the contracting firm, CCECC, as mobilisation.
He further noted that approval was given for the revalidation of bidding process for four contracts earlier advertised in February to include the construction of 4.8 kilometer of reinforced concrete shoreline protection and reclamation of Queens Town and Epellema-Iloma-Minimah communities in Opobo/ Nkoro local government area; construction of 2.5 kilometer shoreline protection and reclamation in Ndoni-Oniku-Ishiuku-Ase-Azage communities in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni local government area; the construction of 2.5 kilometer shoreline protection and reclamation in Otuechi-Obiofu-Isala-Anieze-Odokiri communities in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni local government area, as well as the renovation, retrofitting, and furnishing of the Rivers State Secretariat Complex.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Dr. Azibolanari Worgu, noted that the Executive Council considered the issue of establishing CBT Centres across the three Senatorial districts and 23 local government areas, with a six-man Committee headed by the Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu set up to draw up modalities for its implementation.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment, Dr. Chisom Gbali, said the Council has directed his ministry to draw up proposals for employment generation and youth empowerment in the State and assured that they will work in line with the determination of Gov. Fubara to deliver quality leadership to the people of the State
