Assembly Screens, Confirms Oko-Jaja, Seven Others For BoPP Board •Tasks Members On Rivers First Policy

Rivers State House of Assembly has screened and confirmed Opobo-born Barrister Lawrence Oko-Jaja, SAN, as Chairman of the Board of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RSBoPP).

Also screened and confirmed were Dr. Ernest Ibekwe Ekwe; Dr. Mina Ogbanga; Engr. Iseleye Amachree; Engr. Adokiye Oyagiri; Engr. Gift Alex-Hart; Mrs. Grace Osaronu; and Barrister Selinah Amonieah, who will serve as members.

The eight nominees had appeared for screening before the lawmakers shortly after the reading of the letter sent by the State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo, requesting the House to determine their suitability for appointment as members of the Board of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement.

Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo, read the letter by the Governor during plenary at the Hallowed Chamber of the House of Assembly, Auditorium of the Administrative Block, Rivers State Government House in Port Harcourt, on Friday.

The Speaker read the Governor's letter, thus: "Request for screening and confirmation of the members of the Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement: Pursuant to the provisions of Section 1, Sub-Section 4 of the Rivers State Public Procurement Law No. 4 of 2008. It is my pleasure to forward the underlisted nominees to the Rivers State House of Assembly for screening and confirmation as members of the Board of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement."

During the screening, the nominees fielded a particular question on how they will replicate their wealth of experience in moving the State forward in relation to Government policy implementation, with Barrister Oko-Jaja assuring that if confirmed, the board under their watch, will ensure value for money for goods and services contracted by the State Government.

In his remarks, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo, advised the nominees to always know that they will hold their trust and loyalty to the State Government, should they scale through and be confirmed, to seamlessly harmonise best practices with quality performance while enforcing probity and accountability in all procurements handled by the Bureau.

Shortly after the nominees were led out of the floor of the Assembly by the Sergeant-at-Arms, David Wariboko, the lawmakers, by voice vote, confirmed the nominees one after the other, as fitting for the appointment.

With the confirmation, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo, directed the Clerk, Dr G. M. Gillis-West, to convey the resolution of the House to the State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, for possible swearing-in as members of the Board of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement.

The House, thereafter, adjourned the sitting to September 4, 2024.

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