Lorine Emenike
Leader of a socio-political pressure group, Network For The Defence of Democracy and Good Governance, Sobomabo Jackreich has expressed worry over the alleged failure of Rivers State government to follow due process in the award of contracts in the state.
Sobomabo Jackreich who spoke in Lue Community, Khana local government area, where he was conferred with the traditional chieftaincy title “Mene Yereba 1” of Ogoni land cited the award of the 9th flyover bridge at Rumuepirikom and other capital projects by the state government and queried which medium published biding for the contracts.
“The governor said he wants to build a 9th bridge. You will hear that the governor will just say that he slept over and that he thought it is expedient to have this project.
“Nobody came together to give him bid of quantity. There is no publication anywhere to show that this project was bided. In developed countries, before a project is awarded, there will be a publication and advert for people to bid. Please my dear Rivers people, can anybody show me where such a bidding is taking place? The governor decides what he decides and he will come out and he will say this project is two hundred million, the one in Sapewa road is fifty million and so he has paid this and that”
Sobomabo Jackreich further said the alleged failure of government to tackle contractors on their cooperate social responsibilities in their catchment areas is contributing to the high level of unemployment in the state.
“How can Julius Berger be carrying out projects upon projects in Rivers State yet has not employed anybody and that is why you see unemployment everywhere in the state?”
