THE telling signs are beginning to show. Although the state was ranked 8th most educational developed states in Nigeria in 2021, it did not really translate to improved performance in basic education where it was ranked 15th in the 2020 West African Examinations Council. It is noteworthy that UBEC has no business abandoning or executing poorly constructed projects considering the huge funding at its disposal because it has enough resources. In the 2018 and 2019 budgets, the federal government approved the sum of 109.06 billion and N113.9 billion respectively for UBEC but it only has 244 completed projects to show for these investments.

Otolokpo Secondary School Corpers Lodge not constructed

Located in a sloppy-erosion-prone part of the community, the signpost of Otolokpo Mixed Secondary School stood boldly at the community junction, but the entrance to the school remains bushy. The school premises looks more like an unkempt palm plantation than a citadel of knowledge.

Although there are seven blocks housing classrooms and offices, there is neither old or newly built corps members’ lodge nor any residential building in the school. Meanwhile, Delta State Ministry of Housing awarded a contract for the construction of corpers lodge in the school to Toppet Nigeria Ent. on February 1, 2019 at the sum of N43, 349, 398.16.

The principal of the school, who simply identified herself as Mrs. Abogoh J. O, said she was transferred to the school in February 2019 and never heard about the corpers’ lodge project. She said no contractor approached her or the school about the project.

“I became the principal of Otolokpo Mixed Secondary School in February 2019 and till now, no contractor has come here to discuss about the corpers’ lodge. The contractors that came here in August and September this year were the ones who said they were given contracts to renovate the two dilapidated buildings in the school but they have not started work. I am just hearing about the construction of a corpers’ lodge for the first time.”

Abogoh said the only corpers’ lodge she knows of in the community is the one built outside of the school premises by a philanthropist, Uzum Oko.

“He built it and called it a corpers’ lodge. He only told us that whenever we have corps members, we should send them to go and live there,” she said.

A search at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), for details of the contractor showed that Toppet Nigeria Ent was incorporated on August 24, 2017 with a registration number: BN – 2532746 and situated at Plot 12, Block II, DDPA Housing Estate, Asaba but its current status is inactive. This means that it has not filed returns to the commission as required by law in the last three years.

A visit to the address showed that there was no office located in the address provided by Toppet Nigeria Ent. Further searches revealed Peter Okpuzor and Obiaderi Angela Okpuzor as directors of the company and Uju Cyril Mmuo as contact person for the company.

An email was sent to Mmuo’s email address but there was no response. When she was contacted on the phone number attached to her name, she denied knowing or having worked with Toppet Nigeria Ent.

“I don’t know any contractor. I am not working with any contractor and I have never worked for any. I am a federal government worker. I do office work. Please, I don’t know whoever that put my name there or what they are using it for but I don’t know them,” she said.

MORE ON THIS STORY HERE: https://www.icirnigeria.org/over-n186m-school-projects-remain-abandoned-poorly-executed-in-delta-communities/