Ebonyi Govt terminates abandoned rural roads

…Proposes Laws to Regulate House Rents and Scrap Trade

By Jeff Agbodo, Abakaliki

The Ebonyi State Government has ordered the termination of several 2km rural road projects over abandonment and substandard work, as part of measures to improve accountability in public works.

The decision was among resolutions from the State Executive Council (EXCO) meeting, which also proposed an Executive Council Bill to regulate landlord and tenant rents and fees charged by house agents across the state.

State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Chief Ikeuwa Omebeh, told journalists that under the proposed law, no agent would be allowed to collect more than 2% of the total rent, ensuring fair practice and curbing arbitrary charges.

Omebeh noted that EXCO also reviewed the progress of 22 model secondary schools and directed that contractors who had received payments but had not reached the parapet level be arrested until funds are recovered.

“Following EXCO’s observation that most contractors handling the 2km roads abandoned the sites or delivered poor-quality work, EXCO approved immediate termination of all incomplete roads,” Omebeh said. Committees supervising the projects have been tasked with reviewing all payment certificates before further disbursement.

Highlighting other initiatives, EXCO approved N300 million as the state’s 10% counterpart fund for the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) 2026 fiscal year, aimed at boosting rural development and agricultural value chains.

The council also approved the purchase of 250 agricultural power tillers for N500 million to enhance mechanization, productivity, and youth participation in farming. Each tiller is valued at N2 million.

On education, EXCO received a report on the state’s foreign scholarship programme, noting that out of 204 beneficiaries, 202 have completed their master’s degrees and are admitted for PhDs, with most graduating with distinction. An additional 84 students recently left for overseas studies, bringing the total to 298, with 12 more expected to depart between May and September 2026.

EXCO also approved hosting a Chinese-backed Waste-to-Energy and Solar-to-Energy project in partnership with Chegfa Environment Co. Ltd and Cheer Power Vehicle Manufacturing Co. Ltd at the Industrial City, Ezzamgbo, under a Build, Operate, and Donate model.

Other decisions included the commencement of N1.3 billion air conditioning services for a state centre and the rebuilding of the palace of Eze Dr. Akanu Ibiam, the first indigenous governor of the Eastern Region, in honor of his legacy.

“These initiatives reflect the government’s commitment to infrastructure, education, agriculture, and preserving the state’s heritage while ensuring accountability and public safety,” Omebeh stated.

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