N6.7b UBEC Contract money intact, Uchenna Ezeani defaming us, says ASUBEB Executive Chairman

The Executive Chairman of Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board( ASUBEB, Vera Nwadinobi, an associate professor, has debunked a media report about N6.7bn contract funds of the organization.

The media report had alleged that the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission( ICPC) and other graft agencies were investigating the matter.

The report also alleged that there were no dues processes in awarding contracts in the ASUBEB

But in a swift reaction on Wednesday, Nwadinobi described the story as false, saying the money was intact in the bank.

She accused one Uchenma Ezeani, a former worker with the organization, as the person carrying about the campaign of calumny against the board.

Nwadinobi said, “The said publication is titled “Soludo’s 2 years: Tension in Anambra as ICPC, other AntiGraft Agencies Invite ASUBEB over N6.7b UBEC Contracts.

“This is against the time honoured principle of fair hearing and balanced journalism. Fairness in this instance means that a journalist should strive for accuracy and truth in reporting, and not slant a story so that a reader draws the reporter’s desired conclusion.

“The implication of the foregoing is that it is not true that contracts were awarded to contractors who did not bid for the jobs.

“In line with the Public Procurement Act (PPA), we advertised for the 2019, 2020 and 2021 and received over 1000 bids for barely 200 jobs. All the bids received underwent through technical evaluation and those that were found competent enough were recommended for the next stage of the procurement process which is financial bid opening.”

She added,”The financial bid opening was also done publicly after which the most responsive bids were selected for award of contracts.
“While this was going on, there was an attempt to hijack the process by a staff of the Board, one Uchenna Ezeani who is the Director, PRS. Before the present board was appointed.
“This young man was holding three strategic positions in the board. He was Director PRS, Director, Procurement and Director, Physical Planning.

“The first position, Director, PRS was the one he earned through normal promotion as a public servant while the rest positions were self arrogated. For several years, he virtually was in charge of contracts and he awarded contracts to whomsoever he wished.

“He was so powerful that everyone dreaded him including past chairmen and members. At the end of the immediate past administration, he was being investigated by the EFCC for abuse of office where he was accused of awarding contracts to companies he personally registered and to his friends and cronies.

“It was our refusal of his attempt to hijack the process as usual that resulted to his writing petitions and using the social media to malign the board and bring its image into disrepute.

Continuing, Nwadinobi further said,”The procurement cadre was newly established in the state civil service following Mr Governor’s insistence on due process in award of contracts.

“This led to the establishment of a Bureau on Public Procurement in the state and subsequent staffing of the bureau. However, before now the said Mr Ezeani appointed himself as Director of Procurement and Director of Physical Planning. These departments are non existent in the board and yet somebody is working as director of both departments.

“It is to streamline these positions that we got a waiver from Mr Governor to direct the Head of Service to post procurement officers to the board to ensure that due process is followed in the award of contracts and consequent on that Mr. Attajadumi Simon and Echezona Chinedu were posted to the board to Man the procurement unit.

“The said Ezeani seeing that he has been dislodged has written petitions to the Governor, the state house of assembly, the ICPC and many more.”