Political office holders have been cautioned against abandoning developmental projects inherited from their predecessors.
The Zonal Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, Kennedy Ebhotemen, gave the admonition in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.
He spoke as a guest in an independent government projects tracking/monitoring exercise organised by a Civil Society Organisation, Development and Integrity Intervention Goal Foundation.
The exercise was supported by Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room with funding from the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
The monitoring team is composed of some members of Ebonyi State Civil Societies Network, relevant staff of Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government, and some members of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Ebonyi State chapter.
Projects visited across the three senatorial zones of the State included the runway of the Ebonyi State International Airport in Onueke, Old Abakaliki water scheme and Ukawu water scheme.
Expressing his impression over the visited projects, Ebhotemen, who is in charge of Enugu and Ebonyi States, decried the abandoned state of the Ukawu water scheme and called on the state government to revive and complete the project to benefit the people.
He said: “We should as public officers inherit projects not completed by our predecessors.
“I was not really satisfied with that project, the Ukawu water scheme, and that’s why I can regard it as an abandoned project.
“And I want to encourage the government to reactivate that project because I know it will be very beneficial to the wellbeing of the citizenry.”
The Resident Commissioner, however, commended Governor Francis Nwifuru for the timelines and quality of work at the reconstructed runway of the Chuba Okadigbo International Airport, Onueke , Ebonyi State.
He also commended the governor for his vision in awarding the contract for the revamping of the old Abakaliki Water scheme comprising the rehabilitation of the moribund waterworks low lift section as well as the perimeter fencing and desilting of the central reservoir, which work are ongoing.
He described Governor Nwifuru’s action as a mark of a people oriented leader.
Ebhotemen emphasised: “Let me say that I am impressed with what I saw when I accompanied them to see the airport runway.
“What I saw there gave me that satisfaction that we also have public officers that you can rely on in terms of executing projects that will satisfy and benefit the people.”
He commended the robust collaboration between the state government and CSOs in the state, describing it as healthy for citizens’ participation and Accountability in governance.
The Executive Director, DIG Foundation, Oliver Chima Ajah, explained that the exercise was a follow up to the 2023 Citizens Accountability Report presented by the State Auditor General to citizens on July 12, 2024,
Ajah, who is also a member of the ICPC advisory and Consultative Committee for the South East Zone, noted that the monitoring was aimed at strengthening and promoting government-citizens relations for accountable governance as well as serve as a partnership strategy to boost accountability and citizen confidence in governance.
He added that the exercise was in line with ascertaining the governor’s commitment to the People’s Charter of needs; Open Government Partnership; and States Fiscal Transparency, Accountability, and Sustainability initiatives.
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Speaking to the team at the site, the Airport Head of Administration, Vincent Onyebuchi, said the runway, awarded in September 2023, has been completed and ready for flight operation.
Engr. Ikechukwu Enyigwe, who took the team through the water projects, explained that the ongoing rehabilitation of Abakaliki water scheme together with desilting and fencing of the central reservoir was awarded in July 2024 and expected to be completed within six months.
Enyigwe further explained that the Ukawu water scheme, meant to serve the water needs of the entire Ebonyi South Senatorial District, was awarded in 2008 under Governor Martin Elechi and has remained uncompleted.
He however assured that Governor Nwifuru has already earmarked the scheme as one of the top priority projects to be included in next year’s budget.
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