You Will Be Prosecuted If…, Obaseki Warns Edo Contractors Handling School Projects

In what looks like a determination to enforce high standards, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State  has warned contractors against shoddy work otherwise they will face prosecution.

Obaseki vowed to prosecute any contractor who delivers sub-standard work on the 230 public primary schools being refurbished by the state government through the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

The governor gave the warning when he held a meeting with the contractors handling the school renovation project at Government House in Benin City, on Thursday.

He said, “Ordinary, I will not interact with contractors but because of the priority we place on basic education, I decided to have this all-important meeting with you. We have five pillars of our SUBEB system and one of them is the refurbishment of our schools.” 

He added that the state government has set up a team that will monitor the refurbishment of the schools, noting that any contractor who does not perform as expected will be prosecuted.

“To fix basic education, you need to look at all aspects, the training of teachers, review of curriculum and refurbishment of the physical environment of the schools. We want you to understand that you are a part of our efforts at rebuilding our basic education system and thus you must deliver on the job as specified. We are taking the process seriously and anybody that does not perform as expected will be in trouble,” he warned.

He urged the contractors to fast-track delivery of the job, so they could bid for the additional 230 schools recently advertised. 

Some of the schools to be refurbished include Ojirami Primary School in Ojirami, Akoko-Edo Local Government Area (LGA); Ugbogo Primary School in Igarra, Akoko Edo LGA; Amegor Primary School in Uwelu, Egor LGA; Eweka Primary School in Egor LGA; Olua Primary School in Egor LGA; Ivbiyeneva Primary School in Ikpoba Okha LGA; Aduwawa Primary School in Ikpoba Okha and Uhie Primary School.

Others are Egbokor Primary School, Idunmwingun Primary School, Iguere Primary School, Evboeghae primary school and Oza Primary School, in Orhionmwon Local Government Area, and over 200 other schools across the three senatorial districts.