By: Ifeme Chetachi
A civil society organization known as We The People have alleged that the contract system of the rivers state government lacks transparency.
Executive Director of the organization, Mr. Ken Henshaw who stated this at a stakeholders meeting organised by BUDGIT in Port Harcourt aimed at discussing Open Contracts and Budget Transparency, questioned the methodology with which the government gives contract to companies.
According to Henshaw, “the contract system lacks due diligence, transparency and credibility”.
He lamented the level of ignorance amongst citizens in terms of budget, giving instances of some ridiculous questions being asked by the citizens whenever a discussion is being raised concerning budget.
He noted that this ignorance is why the government carries out some projects without making the contract process transparent.
Henshaw argued that there are citizens who have the financial capacity to carryout these contracts but are denied of the opportunity because the government does not make the process open to all.
Problems like beneficial ownership, contract fraud, lack of competitions amongst companies using Rivers State as an example where all the construction works are being done by one company, quality of the jobs done and purpose where raised by the stakeholders.
Most stakeholders at the event noted that as both Rivers State and Nigeria is about to transit into a new era-the era of electing their leaders, groups both within the state and outside the state should take advantage of the opportunity by educating the citizens to ask the right questions and also to know their basic rights and responsibilities as citizens.
