Ebonyi governor orders tighter oversight of aerospace university project
Ebonyi Governor Francis Nwifuru has criticised the slow progress of construction at the University of Aeronautics and Aerospace Engineering in Onueke. He acknowledged difficult waterlogged ground conditions but said the project had passed through two dry seasons without sufficient advancement, directing the tertiary education commissioner to strengthen supervision and enforce contractual obligations.
Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru has ordered tighter supervision of work at the University of Aeronautics and Aerospace Engineering in Onueke, Ezza South Local Government Area, after expressing dissatisfaction with the project’s pace. Nwifuru said the university project had progressed more slowly than expected when compared with the ICT University at Oferekpe Agbaja, which began at about the same time. His comments were made during an inspection tour of projects in the state.
The governor recognised that the waterlogged nature of the site had created engineering difficulties at the beginning of construction. However, he said the explanation no longer accounted for the limited progress, because the project had already extended across two dry seasons. He directed the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Prof Amari Omaka, to monitor the contractors more closely and take steps to improve the pace of work.
Nwifuru also instructed the commissioner to impose stricter compliance with the terms of the contract. The governor told the commissioner to increase pressure on the contractors and ensure that construction was accelerated. He said the project should be delivered promptly, although the source material did not state a revised completion date or provide details of the contract’s value.
The inspection formed part of a wider tour of major projects across Ebonyi State. Other locations visited included Reward Estate, the Flyover Tunnel and the new Ebonyi Hotel. The hotel project was described as a historic development that was originally initiated as the World Trade Centre by Dr Sam Egwu, the state’s first executive governor.
The source material gave no further update on the condition or completion timetable of those projects.
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