N248bn Road Fund: Diaspora Group Raises Concerns over Nwifuru, Umahi
- The Association of Ebonyi State Indigenes Socio-Cultural in the Diaspora warned the federal government against releasing N248bn for road projects in Ebonyi State
- AEISCID said Governor Nwifuru had not completed a single project in nearly four years despite receiving hundreds of billions in federal allocations
- The group also accused Minister David Umahi of abandoning the Ndibe-Beach bridge project in Afikpo over alleged political motivations
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Ebonyi state - A diaspora group representing Ebonyi state indigenes has urged the federal government to withhold a planned N248 billion road infrastructure allocation for the state, arguing that neither Governor Francis Nwifuru nor Minister of Works David Umahi has demonstrated the accountability required to manage such funds.
The Association of Ebonyi State Indigenes Socio-Cultural in the Diaspora (AEISCID), in a statement signed by its worldwide president, Ambassador Paschal Oluchukwu, said it was reacting to an announcement made by Vice President Kashim Shettima at an APC rally held at the Pa Oruta Ngele Township Stadium in Abakaliki.
Source: Twitter
Shettima had disclosed that the federal government planned to fund projects including the dualisation of the Enugu–Abakaliki–Ogoja Road, improvements to the Onueke–Ezza corridor, and the Okposi–Amasiri Road.
AEISCID Challenges Nwifuru on Road Completion Claims
AEISCID said that despite Ebonyi state receiving hundreds of billions of naira in federal allocations since 2023, no completed project was available for commissioning during the Vice President's visit. The group directly challenged Governor Nwifuru over claims he allegedly made during the rally that his administration had completed more than 1,000 kilometres of roads, including 2km roads across communities in all 13 local government areas.
"We challenge him to provide credible evidence of completion of these roads as we are aware that majority of the projects have been long abandoned and the contractors off the site," AEISCID said in its statement.
The group claimed that many communities in Ebonyi, including villages in the governor's own Izzi area, remained cut off, with residents sharing videos online showing they could not access their farms and homes during the rainy season.
Group Raises Alarm Over Ndibe-Beach Bridge Abandonment
AEISCID also raised concerns about the Ndibe-Beach bridge in Afikpo, which links Ebonyi state to Cross River state. The group said work on the bridge had stopped entirely and contractors had left the site.
The association said Umahi allegedly threatened to abandon the project if residents of Afikpo did not vote for the APC in 2027. AEISCID described such a position as "cynical," insisting that access to infrastructure is a right, not a reward for political loyalty.
The group concluded that releasing another N248 billion through what it called "grossly unaccountable channels" would amount to wasteful spending, warning that the funds could end up being diverted as campaign finances ahead of the 2027 elections. AEISCID said it was not opposed to federal intervention in Ebonyi but insisted that transparency and accountability must be conditions for any new disbursement.
Source: Legit.ng
