The Ebonyi State Government has commenced the process of revoking contracts awarded for the construction of 2-kilometre rural road projects across the state following prolonged delays in their execution.
The Commissioner for Special Projects, Dr. Ngozi Obichukwu, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists in Abakaliki after a meeting with contractors handling the affected projects.
According to Obichukwu, the state government convened the meeting to identify the challenges hindering project completion and to ensure contractors account for the slow pace of work. She said all uncompleted 2km road projects across Ebonyi’s three senatorial districts are now facing contract termination in line with a directive issued by the State Executive Council (EXCO).
“The purpose of this meeting is to ensure that jobs awarded to contractors are executed and completed on time. Over time, many of them failed to deliver,” the commissioner said.
She added that the termination process is already underway, stressing that the Ministry of Special Projects is committed to ensuring that every government project in the state is completed within the approved timeline.
Obichukwu commended Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru for initiating the rural road programme, describing it as a strategic intervention designed to improve infrastructure in farming communities, enhance the transportation of agricultural produce, and stimulate economic growth in rural areas.
She noted that the projects were intended as short-term interventions to quickly improve access to remote communities.
According to the commissioner, communities where road construction has progressed are already witnessing improvements in socio-economic activities, with better access to electricity and easier movement of farm produce to urban markets.
Obichukwu also acknowledged that some contractors cited technical challenges, including difficult terrain and delays in payment certification, as factors affecting project delivery. She assured that the government would strengthen project monitoring to guarantee value for money and ensure strict compliance with execution schedules.
The move follows resolutions reached at a recent Ebonyi State Executive Council meeting, where members expressed dissatisfaction over the slow pace of rural road construction across the state.
As part of the decisions, the Executive Council directed the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to conclude legal procedures for terminating all outstanding 2km road contracts that remain uncompleted.
To accelerate delivery, the council also established Special EXCO Committees in all 13 Local Government Areas of the state to supervise the completion of the affected projects before September 2026.
In addition, the Commissioner for Special Projects was directed to compile a comprehensive inventory of all affected project sites to facilitate their immediate administrative takeover and reassignment where necessary.
