Rivers stops double payment for bills of quantity on single project

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State said on Tuesday that the State Government had stopped payment for double bills of quantities on a single project.
Wike, represented his Deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Banigo, disclosed this at the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors Workshop/Annual General Meeting in Port Harcourt.
He said that multiple bills on a single project led to fraud and incurring more costs.
“The era of double bills of quantities on a single project is now a thing of the past in the state,” he said.
The governor urged quantity surveyors to ensure that public projects were appropriately priced and delivered on realistic estimates and values.
Wike said in an era of economic challenges, the public expected the surveyors to ensure quality assurance, cost control, timely project delivery and accountability.
According to him, anything less than 100 per cent performance could discredit the quality efforts of an entire project and destroy their reputation.
Wike announced that the management of the State University of Science and Technology had been directed to ensure that all programmes denied accreditation, including Quantity Surveying, regained full accreditation as soon as possible.
The President of the Institute, Mercy Iyortyer, said the body had been watching with keen interest the giant strides of the Wike-led administration in critical sectors such as roads, bridges, security, education, housing, power and health.
Iyortyer said the state had earned itself the recognition of “destination for investment” due to its rich natural resources and environment conducive for business to thrive.
Iyortyer said the workshop would serve as an avenue to address key issues in Building Information Modelling, to prepare quantity surveyors and other professionals to respond to emerging changes in the practice.