Ebonyi Vanco Tunnel: Ugama Blames Slow Progress on Political Patronage, Calls for Contract Review.
An Abakaliki-based lawyer and human rights activist, Barrister Steve Ugama, has accused political patronage and alleged contractor negligence of undermining the progress of the Abakaliki Vanco Tunnel project, urging Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru to review the contracts and compel contractors who allegedly collected payments without completing their jobs to return to site or face appropriate sanctions.
Ugama described the slow pace of work on the project as an “unrealistic dream,” alleging that some politicians engaged as contractors regard government contracts as opportunities for political settlement rather than obligations to deliver public infrastructure.
He argued that the alleged practice of awarding contracts to politically connected individuals without adequate accountability had contributed to delays and the abandonment of projects across the state.
According to him, some contractors collect funds for projects but subsequently abandon the sites, leaving residents to contend with the consequences of delayed infrastructure development.
He called on Governor Nwifuru to take decisive action by reviewing existing contracts, assessing the performance of contractors and compelling those who had received payments but abandoned their projects to return to site and complete the work.
Ugama warned that unless the state government addressed what he described as irregularities in contract execution, the delays and laxity affecting public projects in Ebonyi State would persist.
He also criticised what he perceived as the government’s reluctance to hold politically connected contractors accountable, insisting that public projects should not be treated as instruments of political settlement.
The activist maintained that competence, transparency and accountability should guide the award and execution of government contracts, irrespective of the political affiliations or connections of those involved.
He urged the state government to strengthen project monitoring and enforce contractual obligations to ensure that public funds deliver tangible benefits to residents.
The allegations have not been independently verified. A response from the Ebonyi State Government and the contractors concerned was not available at the time of writing this report.