The Civil Society Organizations (CSO) Investigative Council has reacted to allegations of poor construction along the Abariba–Ohafia–Ndi Okoroc Road in Abia North Senatorial District, absolving the supervising body while calling on the contractor to urgently address quality concerns.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its convener, Comrade Nelson Ossaieze, the Council responded to a viral video shared by Tochukwu Ogbuagu, a local resident and social media influencer, who alleged that the road was poorly constructed, particularly highlighting defects in a recently extended section.
The Council confirmed that the original 600-meter stretch of the road—funded as a constituency project by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu at a cost of ₦250 million—was executed according to specifications and properly supervised by the Federal Cooperative College, Oji River.
However, following appeals from community leaders, Senator Kalu reportedly approved an additional 400-meter extension, personally funding it with ₦52 million. This portion, unlike the original project, was not overseen by the Federal Cooperative College.
The CSO Council’s independent assessment revealed that while the original stretch met engineering standards, the extension showed signs of premature deterioration, including poor drainage, insufficient road layering, and surface cracks, which have contributed to its rapid degradation.
“Responsibility for the defects lies with the contractor, Swiber Africa Limited, particularly in the extension phase,” the Council stated, while urging the company to undertake immediate remediation work, including resurfacing and improved drainage.
The Council commended the Federal Cooperative College for its commitment to transparency, noting that the agency fulfilled its oversight responsibilities on the initial contract.
It also advised Senator Kalu to ensure that the contractor rectifies the faults in the extended section, and called for stronger oversight mechanisms in future constituency projects to safeguard public funds and ensure quality delivery.
“While the main road project was delivered to standard, the extension must be revisited to restore public confidence,” the statement concluded.
