Your criticism is baseless — Ebonyi Commissioner blasts Senator Nwebonyi over bridge project

BY CHIJIOKE SIMON, ABAKALIKI

The Ebonyi State Commissioner for Project Monitoring and Evaluation, Chief Sunday Elechi Inyima, has dismissed as unfounded the criticism by the senator representing Ebonyi North Senatorial District, Onyekachi Nwebonyi, over the ongoing construction of the two-span bridge along the 12-kilometre Ekebeligwe–Isophumini–Nwori Road in Ebonyi Local Government Area.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Inyima said there was nothing on the ground to justify the senator’s remarks, insisting that the multi-million-naira project was progressing in accordance with approved engineering specifications and implementation schedule.

The commissioner explained that, in line with his statutory responsibility to ensure quality and value for public funds, he had maintained continuous on-site monitoring of government projects across the state over the past two weeks.

According to him, regular inspections and consultations with contractors, engineers and project consultants confirmed that the contractor handling the bridge had been fully mobilised and that construction was advancing in phases to guarantee quality, durability and compliance with established standards.

He maintained that the administration of Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru remained committed to transparent project execution and the delivery of infrastructure across the 13 local government areas of the state.

Inyima argued that allegations of poor project delivery were inconsistent with the progress being recorded on the site and urged critics to verify facts before making public statements.

While describing Senator Nwebonyi as a respected APC leader and representative of Ebonyi North, the commissioner said public criticism without firsthand assessment neither served the interest of the people nor strengthened the ruling party.

He invited the senator to undertake a joint inspection of the bridge project and other ongoing government projects in Ebonyi North alongside officials of the Ministries of Project Monitoring and Evaluation, Works and Infrastructure.

The commissioner also appealed to the lawmaker to withdraw his comments, saying such a move would promote unity and enable the government to remain focused on delivering developmental projects to the people.

He reaffirmed the commitment of the Ebonyi State Government to ensuring that all ongoing projects are completed according to approved specifications, with emphasis on quality, durability and accountability.