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Abia Govt Faces Backlash Over ₦54 Billion School Renovation Spending

Published by Tope Fakinlede on August 16th, 2025.

Abia Govt Faces Backlash Over ₦54 Billion School Renovation Spending

The Abia State government, under the leadership of Governor Alex Otti, is drawing widespread criticism following revelations of a staggering ₦54 billion expenditure on school rehabilitation projects during just the final quarter of 2024.

Controversy surrounding the figure intensified after Governor Otti’s Special Adviser on Media, Ferdinand Ekeoma, shared photos of completed “smart schools” on social media—images that have sparked public outrage and questions over project quality and fund utilization.

Civic group Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy & Development (FENRAD) had earlier submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, demanding clarity on how the funds were spent. The organization specifically asked for a breakdown detailing which schools were renovated or constructed, where they are located, and how the money was divided among infrastructure, learning materials, and teacher recruitment.

Public reaction has been swift and scathing.

On Facebook, users criticized the standard of the buildings presented as part of the government’s “smart school” initiative. One user, Nnamdi Nweze, questioned the quality of work and compared it unfavorably with school projects completed in other states.

> “This ‘smart’ isn’t smarting at all. Compare these with what Rotimi Amaechi built across Rivers State or what Governor Peter Mbah is doing in Enugu. These don’t reflect the scale of the funds reportedly spent. A monthly revenue of ₦38 billion should be driving visible transformation, but after nearly three years, Abia is still lagging,” he wrote.

Another commenter, Oliver Uche, expressed skepticism about the project’s transparency.

> “We now have ‘Abia-devised Smart Schools,’ but what’s smart about them? Even the photographers know those structures don’t meet the mark. Justifying ₦54 billion with these images is a hard sell.”

The criticism continued with users like Ugochukwu Chidi, who bluntly asked:

> “What exactly is smart here? ₦54 billion isn’t ₦54 million.”

Engr. Ogbonna Solomon Chibuzor added:

> “So this is how you guys spent our ₦54 billion? New Abia indeed.”

Others, like Jehoshaphat Onyekachi, admitted they were left speechless:

> “I can’t even defend this to the opposition.”

Obiefuna Okorie Joshua didn’t hold back either, calling the project “a joke” and describing the schools as simply “repainted old buildings.”

According to SaharaReporters, the state’s official budget performance documents confirm that between October and December 2024, ₦54 billion was reportedly allocated to school rehabilitation projects. For the full fiscal year, that figure stands at ₦58 billion. In stark contrast, only ₦956 million was originally budgeted for school infrastructure in 2023, and just ₦25 million had been spent by Q3 of that year.

With public trust on shaky ground, pressure is mounting on the Abia State government to provide detailed financial records and physical evidence of the supposed upgrades. As conversations about accountability and transparency grow louder, many residents are asking a simple question: Where did the money really go?