The Rivers State Government has cancelled a contract worth ₦134 billion for the reconstruction of the State Secretariat complex in Port Harcourt. The contract was awarded by the former sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ikot Ete Ibas (retd), during the period of emergency governance in the state.
The decision to cancel the contract was reached at the State Executive Council meeting held on Thursday, which was presided over by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The contract, awarded to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), has now been officially terminated. The state government has also ordered the company to refund the ₦20 billion mobilisation fee it had already received for the project.
The Fubara administration cited irregularities in the award process and questioned the justification for the huge contract sum. Officials believe the deal may not have followed due process, especially since it was signed under the emergency leadership of Ibas, who was appointed by the federal government during the peak of the political crisis in Rivers State.
The Secretariat project was originally meant to upgrade and modernise the state’s administrative headquarters, but the current government says it will reassess the priority of such a massive expenditure.
“The Executive Council has agreed to cancel the N134bn contract and has directed that the N20bn already paid be refunded immediately,” a senior government official said after the meeting.
This move by Governor Fubara signals a broader effort to review major contracts awarded during the short-lived emergency rule and to ensure public funds are not misused. It also aligns with his promise to run a government focused on transparency, accountability, and people’s welfare.
Also at Thursday’s Executive Council meeting, the government approved the setting up of a six-member committee to recommend locations for the construction of Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres across the state. These centres will be used for external examinations such as WAEC, NECO, and JAMB.
The committee will be chaired by the Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu, and is expected to submit its findings and proposals within a short period.
According to the state government, the move to establish CBT centres is part of its plan to improve access to digital education and support students in rural and urban areas preparing for national exams.
Rivers State has faced political and administrative instability in recent years, especially during the tussle between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. During the peak of the crisis, the federal government installed Vice Admiral Ibas (retd) as sole administrator to manage the state’s affairs temporarily. Several high-value contracts were signed during this period, some of which are now under review.
