By ENITAN ABEL JOHNGOLD ORHERUATA, mnipr
The Executive Chairman of the Delta State Universal Basic Education Board (D-SUBEB), Hon. Samuel Oghenevwogaga Mariere, has firmly dismissed allegations of bribery and kickback collection under his leadership, describing them as “false, malicious, and baseless.”
Addressing journalists at the D-SUBEB Headquarters in Asaba on Wednesday, Mariere said neither he nor any member of the Board’s leadership had ever demanded or received gratuities from contractors.
“These allegations are fabrications. At no time have I or any member of the Board’s leadership requested or collected money from contractors. Our processes are transparent, strictly documented, and open to independent verification,” he declared.
To prove the Board’s clean record, Mariere disclosed that an emergency meeting was convened with contractors on Tuesday, where multiple contractors openly confirmed that they had never been asked to pay kickbacks or percentages for project awards, certifications, or payments. Their testimonies, he said, are now on record.
Moving beyond the controversy, Mariere presented the Board’s performance scorecard for the last quarter, backed by data already submitted to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
Project Delivery: 90% of approved projects completed this cycle, with contractors fully paid through official channels.
Enrolment: 821,827 learners currently enrolled in public basic schools across the State.
Teacher Training: 5,511 teachers trained under 10 professional development programmes, boosting lesson planning, classroom management, and digital literacy.
Infrastructure: 162 new classrooms built, 491 renovated, 164 VIP toilets delivered, 22 perimeter fences erected, and 5 solar-powered boreholes installed.
Learning Materials: Over 167,000 textbooks distributed, alongside 1,843 tablets, 28 laptops, and 64 interactive boards.
Equity Drive: Over 2,000 out-of-school children re-enrolled through community outreach and SBMC campaigns.
Inclusion: Special needs learners provided with braille, hearing aids, and mobility devices.
“We are investing in classrooms, teacher capacity, digital tools, and safety facilities to ensure that every Delta child has access to quality education,” Mariere noted.
The D-SUBEB boss stressed that the Board’s procurement and payment systems are governed by federal procurement laws, internal audits, and state oversight mechanisms.
“Our financial records, procurement files, and site inspections are available for UBEC, the State Government, civil society, and the media to verify at any time,” he said. “Sunlight is our policy.”
Mariere further assured stakeholders that the Board is strengthening e-procurement systems, vendor tracking, and rural logistics to deepen transparency and improve last-mile delivery to riverine and hard-to-reach schools.
Looking ahead, the D-SUBEB Chairman highlighted the near completion of the Orogun SMART School facilities, teacher accommodations, and student hostels, which will anchor the state’s digital learning revolution.
He reaffirmed that the Board would remain undistracted by falsehoods, saying:
“Our commitment is clear—better classrooms, safer schools, empowered teachers, and improved learning outcomes for our children. That is the only truth that matters.”