The Coalition of Civil Society Groups in Ebonyi State and the state government have disagreed over the state’s failure to qualify for the World Bank’s HOPE Governance Programme Performance-Based Incentive Grant, with the coalition attributing the development to weak fiscal governance and the government dismissing the claim as misleading.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the coalition said Ebonyi failed to meet key reform benchmarks in public financial management, education and primary healthcare required to access the performance-based incentive.

The statement was signed by Chairman of the Human Rights Volunteer Corps, Ebonyi State, Evangelist Prof. Joseph Agbo; Chairman of the Human Rights Action Group, Ebonyi State Chapter, Comrade Charles Otu; and Comrade Lawrence of the Good Living Initiative.

“It is no longer news that Ebonyi State missed out on the World Bank-supported HOPE Governance Programme because it failed to meet the required performance targets and reform deadlines for education, primary healthcare and public financial management,” the coalition said.

The group called on the Governor Francis Nwifuru administration to strengthen fiscal governance, improve procurement integrity, enhance budget execution, increase internally generated revenue and expand public access to fiscal information. It also urged the government to “reduce the number of its 4+4=8 billboards scattered across every length and breadth of the state and focus more on governance,” while calling for an investigation into alleged irregularities in revenue collection.

However, the Ebonyi State Government rejected the allegations, describing them as politically motivated and inconsistent with the state’s development record.

In a statement signed by the Governor’s Special Assistant on Documentation, Dr. Boniface Nwankwo, the government said the coalition’s position ignored several federal and international grants and strategic interventions secured by the Nwifuru administration over the past three years.

“Rather than focusing on an unverified narrative, critics have ignored the numerous federal and international grants and strategic interventions attracted to Ebonyi State within the last three years,” Nwankwo said.

He listed the interventions to include the Nigerian Army Training Depot in Edda Local Government Area, the Nigerian Navy Secondary School in Izzi Local Government Area and the proposed University of Aeronautics.

Nwankwo also said the state secured a ₦12 billion Productive Use of Energy Grant for solar-powered agro-processing facilities across Ebonyi, qualified for another ₦10 billion energy grant currently at the final stage of access, and is among 16 states selected for a $25 million intervention under the Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria (SPIN) Programme.

He added that Ebonyi also attracted an ₦8.1 billion African Development Bank Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) grant, noting that it is the only South-East state among the beneficiaries.

According to him, the volume of grants and strategic investments secured by the administration contradicts claims of poor governance and reflects its commitment to inclusive development, economic growth and improved welfare.

He urged residents to disregard what he described as misinformation, assuring that the government would continue to pursue policies and partnerships aimed at attracting investments and accelerating sustainable development across the state.