Project Execution: Why some Contractors were arrested in Ebonyi – Commissioner

By Peter Okutu

28 February 2026

News

The Commissioner for Project Monitoring and Evaluation, Ebonyi State, Engr. Felix Igboke Ogbonna, Friday listed poor, shoddy jobs, execution of projects outside contractual specification, use of less quality materials and failure by Contractors to fulfill certain contractual terms required for the award of contract in the State.

He pointed out that the purpose for his Ministry ‘s regular supervision of projects across the State is to ensure that Contractors do the right as agreed within the terms of their contract.

He noted that the arrest of Contractors was not meant to witch-hunt any stakeholder in the State but to make sure that monies released by the State Government for projects execution achieve its intended purpose.

According to him, the administration of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru is focused towards ensuring that democracy dividends get to every nooks and crannies of the State.

The Commissioner further added that with the enormous capital projects ongoing in the State, the Governor will have enough project to commission within his tenure.

Igboke stated this while fielding questions from journalists in Abakaliki on the progress of contact execution in the State.

The helmsman incharge of Ebonyi State Project Monitoring and Evaluation ministry disclosed that there was no week or two weeks that the Ministry do not arrest one or two erring engineers on site.

He dismissed public speculations that some contractors were given preferential treatment, and adduced reasons why the arrests were not often made public.

Igboke said his Ministry has been embarking on deliberate and strategic supervision of contracts awarded by the state government in various communities, clans, and villages in Ebonyi State to ensure contractors adhere to contractual specifications, and by doing the right things.

“The truth is you know, human beings are one of the most difficult people to deal with. No matter how highly placed that person could be, you might be where you are, you send your contractors to come and execute a project, some contractors or engineers on site might try to do some funny things.

“Of course, if not properly supervised or followed up, they will definitely do such. So as these jobs are coming out from one ministry or another, it could be Ministry of Works, it could be Ministry of Infrastructure, it could be any ministry that is directly supervising these contracts. So that ministry prepares the Bill of Quantities, the BEME, and there will be a contract agreement between them and the contractor.

“When the document gets to my ministry, that is when we take off. That Bill of Quantities and Design, that is the BEME, is what is going to guide the Ministry of Project Monitoring and Evaluation to do their job. And if I tell you we don’t see people doing some funny things over the project, I’ll be lying to you.

“But what do we do? Our main job as service-oriented ministry is not to witch-hunt any contractor, is not to collect money from any contractor, it is not also to create content or hype ourselves while doing our job. Our main duty is to make sure that the projects are being executed accordingly. When I say accordingly, I mean both in terms of specifications, the quality, and the time agreed in the agreement”, he said.

According to the Commissioner, most projects initiated by the state government were already completed and in use, and so there’s no need for unnecessary criticisms as regarding uncomissioned projects.

“As Ebonyians are saying, commission, commission, commission, my question has always been, you that is scrambling for commissioning, commissioning, commissioning, why are you using the road? Why are you plying on it? Why not wait until it’s commissioned before you pass through it? That is the thing here.

“There’s no road that has been completed in Ebonyi State and blocked that the masses should not use until it’s commissioned. As the projects have been executed, the masses are using it. That is the truth.

“Let me tell you one thing. What we, as a ministry, is praying for our governor to have the time for commissioning because so many projects are much ready for commissioning. As you speak, you mentioned more of this road. Do you know how many kilometres the road is? It’s 20-something kilometers, and so many other roads.” He added

He further added that “I can assure you that when once the governor says I’ve started commissioning a project, that commission of project will not stop until after election. It’s just for him to have the time. He will be commissioning projects any day he has the chance.

“He won’t have any official duty to do in his office. He wants to be in the field. He will be moving from one local government to the other, one community to the other, one clan to the other. So, I can keep my head so high to say that our governor has delivered on his mandate. That is the truth. He has even surpassed what he promised Ebonyians. What I would tell Ebonyians is to calm down”, he admonished