Nkechinyere Ewa
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ebonyi State Council, has commended the quality and pace of ongoing and completed projects executed by the state government under Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru.
The State Council Chairman, Comrade Sampson Nwafor, spoke on Monday during an inspection tour of major projects across the state, organised as part of activities marking the 2026 NUJ Press Week with the theme, “2027: The Ballot, The Truth and The Future.”
The projects inspected included the Nwofe Agbaja Flyover, Ebonyi State ICT University at Opherekpe Agbaja, remodeled Trade Fair Centre now known as Ebonyi International Hotel, Industrial Clusters, Vanco Flyover and Underground Tunnel, as well as several road projects within and outside Abakaliki metropolis.
Nwafor said the exercise was aimed at enabling journalists to physically assess government projects and provide factual information to the public, in keeping with the media’s watchdog responsibility.
He said the inspection showed significant progress in infrastructure, education, road construction and urban development, noting that some projects had been completed while others were at advanced stages.
“We are impressed by what we have seen, ranging from the ICT University to the roads, industrial clusters and the remodeling of the Trade Fair Centre,” Nwafor said.
At the ICT University, the NUJ chairman described the infrastructure as impressive, saying the project demonstrated the administration’s commitment to education, technology and innovation.
He, however, charged engineers and contractors handling government projects to maintain professional standards and ensure that projects were delivered in the interest of the people.
“Whatever project they are given to do for the state, they should do it believing that the service is not to Governor Nwifuru. That service is to the entire population of Ebonyi, whose taxpayers’ money they have been paid to use,” he said.
Speaking after the inspection, Commissioner for Works, Engr. Stanley Lebechi Mbam, commended the NUJ for incorporating project monitoring into its annual Press Week activities.
Mbam said the administration’s performance should be assessed against the promises contained in the People’s Charter of Needs, highlighting infrastructure, education, workers’ welfare, gratuities, urban renewal, 627 kilometres of rural roads and bridges as areas of progress.
On the Vanco Flyover and Underground Tunnel, Mbam explained that the project comprised an underground tunnel, double-deck and bypass features, adding that it was expected to be completed by February 2027.
At the Nwofe Agbaja Flyover, Engineer Moses Uguru said the project consisted of 22 spans and was designed for completion within two years. He said major foundation works had been completed, while beam casting and other construction activities were ongoing.
Also, Chiamaka Mbam, a quantity surveyor on the Ebonyi International Hotel project, said extensive work had been completed on the 11-storey structure, including block work, plastering and sections of flooring, while ceiling and tiling works were ongoing.
The Ministry of Works Public Relations Officer, Mr Onwe Emmanuel Onwe, said the inspection provided journalists an opportunity to see the projects first-hand and report their findings to the public.
Similarly, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Project Monitoring, Mr Sunday Nwambam Sunday, commended the quality of the projects, saying the Vanco project had reached an advanced stage and was being executed with standard materials by professionals.
He urged journalists to disregard unverified claims about the projects and base their reports on facts established through direct observation.
The inspection formed part of activities leading to the grand finale of the 2026 NUJ Press Week in Ebonyi State.