Niger Delta indigenous contractors tackle ministry over marginalisation, petition BPP

A copy of the petition titled: “Outright deprivation of indigenous Niger Delta companies from projects in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs”, and dated December 15, claimed the ministry does not give indigenous companies a level playing ground during bids for contracts.

The group cited a procurement contract for skill acquisition centre in Cross River state to buttress its allegations.

It alleged that out of the three companies that bidded for the contract, the ministry had deliberately manipulated the financial bids of two companies to favour them at the detriment of a company from the region.

The group named the contractors that bidded for the contract as Mascot Associates Limited, First Construction Limited and Richie and Gee Enterprises Limited.

The group said that the financial bids of Mascot and First Construction, which were sent to the bureau, were different from the ones the ministry announced at the bid opening day.

It claimed that instead of N1.28 billion bid of Mascot, the ministry had presented N1.23 billion to the BPP, adding that it was same for the First Construction, where its financial bid was reduced from N1.34 billion to N1.23 billion.

It further claimed that it was only the quotation figure of Richie and Gee, a Niger Delta indigenous company, that was not manipulated.

The group said: “This falsification of quoted figures did not give Richie and Gee a level playing field. We also observed that the quotation by Richie and Gee is more competitive to the consultant’s benchmark of N1.58 billion, which was not announced on the bid opening day.

“We pray that the indigenous companies whose bids are responsive enough be considered because the Ministry of the Niger Delta Affairs is put in place to ameliorate the sufferings of the Niger Deltans”, the group added.

The contractors asked the procurement agency to redirect the contracts to the companies that did not influence the falsification of their original quotes between the time of bid opening and when the three companies were recommended to the agency.