Civic accountability group MonITng has raised alarm over a ₦1.3 billion Zonal Intervention Project in Abia State, accusing officials of misplaced priorities and possible fund diversion.
In a petition to the ICPC, EFCC, and FMARD, the group questioned Project Code: ZIP20250570, titled “Construction of Perimeter Fence in Selected Schools in Bende Federal Constituency”, being executed by the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike.
MonITng faulted assigning an agricultural research institute to handle school construction, saying it lacks the technical capacity, which “undermines transparency and quality delivery.”
It decried the absence of project details, noting that “selected schools” were unnamed, calling it “a breeding ground for corr¥ption, inflated contracts, and ghost projects.”
The group criticised the project’s priority, stressing that schools in Bende lack classrooms, furniture, and roofs, adding, “What is the value of a fence when pupils sit on bare floors?”
MonITng urged @icpcnigeria and @officialEFCC to investigate the project and ensure accountability for every kobo spent, while demanding the Ministry of Agriculture publish the list of schools involved.
It concluded that ₦1.3 billion could have been used to improve classrooms, water, and learning facilities instead of fences, describing the project as “a distortion of purpose.”
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