The Rivers government has revoked the ₦134 billion contract awarded to the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation for the renovation, retrofitting, and furnishing of the state secretariat complex.

The permanent secretary of the Ministry of Works, Austin Ezekiel-Hart, disclosed this to journalists after the State Executive Council meeting held in Port Harcourt on Thursday, stating that the contract was awarded by the emergency rule administration.

Mr Ezekiel-Hart said that the council, during the meeting presided over by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, directed the immediate refund of the ₦20 billion mobilisation fee already paid to the contractor.

The permanent secretary explained that the contracts were awarded in a hasty manner without following due process. He said the council approved, therefore, the revalidation of the bidding process for all four contracts that were earlier advertised in national dailies on February 19, 2025.

“With the revalidation process now on, a fresh bidding will be advertised in newspapers for competent and experienced contractors to prequalify and submit both technical and commercial bids,” he said.

Mr Ezekiel-Hart mentioned the projects to include, the construction of 4.8km reinforced concrete shoreline protection and reclamation of Queenstown, Epellema, Oloma, and Minima communities in Opobo/Nkoro local government area in Rivers.

Also, the construction of a 2.5km shoreline protection and reclamation project in Ndoni-Onukwu, Isikwu, and Aziazagi communities in the Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni local government area is underway. The projects include the construction of a 2.5km shoreline protection and reclamation in the Utuechi, Obiofu, Isala, and Ani-Eze communities, as well as Odugri in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni LGA, and the renovation, retrofitting, and furnishing of the Rivers State Secretariat Complex.

 Chisom Gbali, the commissioner for employment generation and economic empowerment, said that the council had reviewed the ongoing efforts to create jobs for Rivers youths. Mr Gbali added that the ministry would develop a framework for job creation and economic empowerment, and reiterated the government’s determination to open up more opportunities for the youth.

Azibaolanari Uzoma-Nwogu, the permanent secretary in the education ministry, said the council approved a committee constitution to develop a proposal to create computer-based test centres and ICT laboratories across the state’s three senatorial districts.

Mr Uzoma-Nwogu explained that the initiative was in line with the federal government’s directive that, from 2026, all examinations conducted by the West African Examinations Council and the National Examinations Council would be computer-based.

(NAN)