Get Guardian on GoogleThe Association of Ebonyi State Indigenes Socio-Cultural in the Diaspora (AEISCID) has urged the Federal Government to withhold a proposed N248 billion allocation for road projects in Ebonyi State, accusing Governor Francis Nwifuru and Minister of Works, David Umahi, of failing to ensure accountability in the management of public funds.
The group said the state government and the Federal Government should account for previous allocations and ongoing projects before releasing additional funds.
In a statement signed by its President, Ambassador Paschal Oluchukwu, AEISCID said it was concerned about the proposed funding announced by Vice-President Kashim Shettima at the All Progressives Congress rally in Abakaliki.
Shettima had disclosed plans for additional funding for road infrastructure, including the dualisation of the Enugu-Abakaliki-Ogoja Road and improvements to the Onueke-Ezza and Okposi-Amasiri roads.
While acknowledging the need for federal infrastructure projects in the South-East, the association said the alleged lack of transparency in the execution of previous projects raised questions about the proposed allocation.
It accused the Nwifuru administration of failing to complete major projects since assuming office, despite receiving substantial federal allocations.
The group also challenged the governor to provide evidence for his claim at the rally that his administration had completed more than 1,000 kilometres of roads, including two-kilometre roads in communities across the state’s 13 local government areas.
AEISCID alleged that several road projects had been abandoned, while some completed sections were already deteriorating because of poor execution.
It also accused Umahi of failing to ensure the completion of the Ndibe Beach Bridge project in Afikpo, which is expected to link Ebonyi State with Cross River State.
The association said it had received reports that work on the bridge had stopped and contractors had left the site.
It further criticised alleged remarks by Umahi that the project could be abandoned if residents failed to support the APC in the 2027 elections, insisting that access to public infrastructure should not depend on political choices.
AEISCID urged the Federal Government to review the proposed N248 billion allocation and ensure that previous funds and ongoing projects were properly accounted for before committing more resources to the state.
