Valentino Da Vinci Nig Ltd, the company that was awarded the contract for the construction and management of Orie Okporo market has expressed reservation at what it referred to as breach of protocol and official conduct by the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Hon Simeon Ibegbulem who has made several radio announcements that the contract has been revoked.
The Director of Corporate Communication of Valentine Da Vinci Nig Ltd, Mr Victor Nedum who stated this in a release made available to news men yesterday, expressed dismay that a person who occupies such an exalted position should not resort to terminating a contract that was duly awarded, all necessary fees paid and all contractual agreements fulfilled through mere radio announcement.
“Valentino Da Vinci Nig Ltd bid for the contract, fulfilled all obligations before bringing financiers and the contract is being executed according to specification. Besides, the Certificate of Occupancy which he is saying is fake was issued by the Ministry of Lands and is available for scrutiny”.
“The excuses upon which the purported revocation are hinged are baseless as the main reasons for this obvious act of vendetta are yet to be unveiled by the commissioner and his agents who wanted us to play ball.”
He disclosed that issues relating to the construction and management of Orie Okporo market had been subjects of litigation after which the court gave judgment in our favour.”
He regretted that the commissioner either acted without being properly informed or out of sentiment and parochial interests, and urged him to seek more information about the issue.
“Valentino Da Vinci Nig Ltd, bid for the contract, fulfilled all necessary obligations before arranging with financiers that are presently executing the contract inline with the specifications and the contracts is going on smoothly and has reached advanced stage of completion, while the community is also peaceful”, the release stated.
