The Abia State government is facing questions over transparency after reporting it spent N54bn on rehabilitating and renovating schools between October and December 2024.
The disclosure came after Governor Alex Otti’s Special Adviser on Media, Ferdinand Ekeoma, released photographs of “smart schools” said to have been completed by the administration.
However, rights group Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development (FENRAD) has filed a Freedom of Information request demanding a detailed breakdown of the expenditure. The group asked the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education to provide a list of schools that benefited, their locations, and how funds were allocated to renovations, new buildings, learning materials and teacher recruitment. The government’s claims have also drawn criticism on social media, with users questioning the quality of the buildings showcased.
According to budget documents, the fourth-quarter figure brought total 2024 school renovation spending to N58bn, compared with just N956m budgeted in 2023, of which N25m was spent by the third quarter. The state government has yet to respond to the calls for greater transparency.
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