₦airaland Forum

The Abia State government, led by Governor Alex Otti, is facing questions over transparency and accountability regarding its reported N54 billion expenditure on rehabilitating and renovating schools in the last quarter of the 2024 fiscal year (October–December).

The scrutiny deepened after the governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Ferdinand Ekeoma, released photos of “smart schools” said to have been renovated or built by the administration.

Earlier, the Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy & Development (FENRAD) had filed a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, seeking a detailed breakdown of the N54 billion spending.

FENRAD specifically requested a list of all public schools that benefited—complete with names and locations—and a clear account of how the funds were allocated for renovations, new constructions, educational materials, and teacher recruitment.

The government’s “smart schools” projects have now become a fresh point of public debate and criticism.

A Facebook user, Nnamdi Nweze, while commenting on the post, which shows the "smart schools" built by the Otti administration, condemned the standard of work done.

Nweze wrote, "This smart isn't 'smarting' at all oo. Just go through the comments and feel the pulse of Abians. Buildings designed and built by Rotimi Amechi in all communities in Rivers State between 2007 and 2015 are still outstanding till date.

“Also peer-match this our 'smart' with what Dr. Peter Mba of Enugu State is building, you will delete this post without being told. Let the improved revenue of the state reflect on the quantity and quality of projects in Abia State.

“A monthly revenue of about 38 billion naira allegedly is huge enough to transform Abia State. Three years is almost gone. While there is arguably, verifiable evidence of progress by our governor, such isn't statistically significant yet to place Abia State on the map of sustainable development."

Another Facebook user, Oliver Uche, wrote, "We used to have 'Home Grown Democracy'. That was Nigeria for you! Today we have #Abia_devised_Smart_Schools! That's okay. Even if those who took the pictures are aware those structures have no iota of semblances with Smart School, at least the tens of billions allocated (spent) on retrofitting Schools are being justified. But even if praisers hate to hear this bitter truth, it will take decades even after 2031 to convincingly justify the 54B."

Ugochukwu Chidi wrote, "What's smart about this renovated school building to justify the amount of money being tagged to this project. N54B is not N54M."

“So na like this una take shop our 54 billion? Kia new Abia indeed,” Engr Ogbonna Solomon Chibuzor.

Jehoshaphat Onyekachi wrote, “Nawa o. I no go fit defend this one to our opposition o.”

Obiefuna Okorie Joshua wrote, “You're a complete joker. So this midiocrity of a repainted old building is a smart school for you right? Make shame dey catch you na naaa.”

SaharaReporters’ findings show that between October and December 2024 alone, the Abia State government reported spending N54 billion on the rehabilitation and renovation of public schools. According to the state’s official budget performance documents, this brought total school rehabilitation/renovation spending for the entire 2024 fiscal year to N58 billion.

By contrast, in 2023, only N956 million was budgeted for the same purpose, and as of the third quarter that year, N25 million had been spent.

vanbonattel:
Alex Otti is a God sent leader tht has blessed Abia state.

Depriest2020:
54B naira can build a thousand new smart schools from scratch.

Depriest2020:
54B naira can build a thousand new smart schools from scratch.

vanbonattel:
How many have your state built?

Depriest2020:
My state governor knows better than to lie to us that he spent 54B just to renovate the schools in the state. He knows we won't buy it.

SlytigerII:
For real bro, you dont mean it.

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yarimo:
Labour party governor of abia state Alex otti is out to defraud Abia state completely

Depriest2020:
My state governor knows better than to lie to us that he spent 54B just to renovate the schools in the state. He knows we won't buy it.

vanbonattel:
Alex Otti is a God sent leader tht has blessed Abia state.

Abia state has been growing in leaps and bounds since 2023.

We have decided to ignore fake news dressed as propaganda threads to confuse people that don't know what God is doing through Alex Otti.

Write bad news from Jerusalem to Jericho, Abia is in support of Otti, APC take your tero elsewhere

Tochi3:


..where is the uncompleted 30km highway to fraud...you heard that some of the 30km has been washed away by flood..despite the billons used to construct the fraud..