The Rivers State Executive Council has terminated the N134 billion contract previously awarded to the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) for the renovation and furnishing of the state secretariat complex.
The decision was reached on Thursday during a council meeting chaired by Governor Siminalayi Fubara at the government house in Port Harcourt.
According to a statement issued by Nelson Chukwudi, chief press secretary to the governor, the council also instructed the contractor to return the N20 billion mobilisation fee already disbursed.
The statement noted that the contract was approved by Ikot-Ete Ibas, the former sole administrator of the state, during the six-month emergency rule.
Addressing the press, Austin Ezekiel-Hart, permanent secretary of the Rivers ministry of works, stated that the contract was issued “in haste” and “without due process”.
He added that the council has now approved the revalidation of the bidding process for four previously advertised projects from February, including the secretariat renovation and shoreline protection works in Opobo/Nkoro and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGAs.