The Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project in Sokoto State has commenced the bidding process for the construction of 28 Junior Secondary Schools and 28 Senior Secondary Schools across the state.
The flag-off ceremony for the bidding process will be held at the AGILE office along Garba Nadama Road in Sokoto.
Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Project Steering Committee and Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Professor Ahmad Ladan Ala, charged the successful bidders to fear Allah while executing the projects.
He said the process is designed to ensure that only qualified and reliable contractors are selected to execute the projects in line with World Bank guidelines.
He urged the contractors participating in the bidding to strictly maintain construction standards and deliver quality work that will stand the test of time.
“Work closely with the ministry to ensure that the projects are executed strictly in accordance with the contract specifications”.
Professor Ala emphasised that adherence to the project guidelines would guarantee quality work and ensure that the schools are delivered to the expected standard.
Also speaking, the Sokoto State Commissioner of Finance, Engineer Jabbi Shagari, who was represented by Rilwanu Bello, stated that Sokoto is the first state in the North-West zone to commence the construction of schools under the AGILE Project.
According to him, the Sokoto AGILE Project fulfilled all the necessary requirements, which enabled the World Bank to approve the construction of the schools.
Earlier, the State Project Coordinator of AGILE, Dr Mansur Isah Buhari, represented by the Deputy Coordinator, Kabiru Garba Gobir, gave a detailed explanation of the bidding process and procedures to the participants.
He explained that the project is part of efforts to improve learning facilities and promote education, especially for adolescent girls across the state.
According to him, last year alone, the Sokoto agile project constructed thousands borehole and toilets in schools, including the schools’ rehabilitation work and provision of furniture and other learning materials.
Dr Mansur said the programme repaired 749 classrooms and installed 214 solar-powered boreholes in 240 schools.
Additionally, 1,652 toilets were constructed in 23 local government areas to improve school sanitation.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Dr Sanusi Aliyu Binji, assured that the ministry would closely monitor the construction work to ensure that contractors deliver quality projects in line with the agreed standards.
The occasion featured goodwill messages from Shehu Aliyu, Executive Secretary of the Female Education Board; Muhammad Aliyu Ajiyan Gobir, State Chairman of the School-Based Management Committees (SBMC); and Musa Mabera, Secretary of the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools, among other development partners.
