How multibillion-naira Ebonyi Trade Centre became abode for reptiles, rodents, hoodlums
• Nwifuru govt offers flicker of hope
From Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki
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Ebonyi Trade Centre (ETC), an 11-storey building located in the heart of Abakaliki, the state capital, was conceived about 23 years ago by the first civilian governor of the state, Dr. Sam Egwu.
The project was to be a one-stop-centre where various economic activities would take place, offering diverse world-class services and boosting commerce, trade, investment as well as tours.
But instead of offering one of the most luxurious destinations for global commerce, luxury living and premium entertainment, the ETC has been in ruins and became a white elephant, an eyesore and embarrassment to visitors to the state.
It is now an abode for reptiles, rodents, lunatics and the destitute, as well as a hideout for hoodlums. The multibillion-naira project, which is the tallest building in the entire state, was about 70% completed when Egwu’s eight-year administration ended.
Over 18 years after Egwu left office and in sharp contrast with such projects in other parts of the world, the imposing edifice, which had gulped billions of taxpayers’ money, has remained a monument of shame.
It was one of the gigantic projects inherited by Egwu’s successor, Chief Martin Elechi, who also governed for eight years, without the project being completed. The building, which is located along the ever-busy Abakaliki/Enugu expressway, has continued to suffer all manner of setbacks since it was initiated.
Elechi, after the uproar over the project’s abandonment, announced in 2014 that he was set to complete the edifice with the approval of N100 million to the contractor, his in-law, to remobilize to site. But nothing came out of it, as the contractor never returned to the project, while the structure looked dilapidated and unfit for human dwelling.
Even Elechi’s successor, David Umahi, an engineer, declared the project unfit for human dwelling. His words: “The project did not meet integrity test carried out by this administration and we can’t waste te state’s resources on such a project.”
His claims were dismissed by experts and political analysts in the state who viewed it as an attempt to discredit the contractor, Edward Nkwegu, who contested the governorship election against him in 2015.
The sitting governor of the state, Francis Nwifuru, was the Speaker of the House of Assembly at that time. Speaker Nwifuru, as he then was, set up a nine-member ad hoc committee, headed by his deputy, Obasi Odefa Obasi, to probe the ETC and other abandoned projects in the state. Curiously, however, the committee’s findings were never made public till date.
Nwifuru became governor in 2023 and vowed to complete the project. He announced this during a media chat at the banquet hall of old Government House, Abakaliki, to mark Nigeria;s 63rd anniversary and Ebonyi’s at 27th anniversary. The governor indicated his readiness to complete the project when a journalist asked him about his impression of the ETC and what his administration had in mind for it.
Nwifuru, who answered the question clearly, told journalists and other stakeholders at the media chat that he would first conduct an integrity test on the project before embarking on its completion.
He had on several occasions made statements suggesting that the foundation of the building was well fortified and strong enough to hold the structure, thereby debunking the allegation that it failed integrity tests.
Nwifuru, in one of his meetings, had strengthened his position by narrating how he was one of the site workers at the project as a bricklayer from its beginning before he fully entered politics.
Last year, the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Jude Okpor, told journalists that the executive council had approved the redesigning and completion of the project.
Okpor said: “Following the presentation of a redesigned structure of the uncompleted Ebonyi Trade Centre at Presco Junction, Abakaliki, to Exco, council deliberated and approved the completion of same.”
The commissioner explained that the redesigned structure, on completion, would house the trade centre as well as the state-owned Ebonyi Hotels, which has gone moribund.
“Council further resolved to recover all lands belonging to the trade centre and directed the commissioner for lands to commence the process of recovering and securing the land with perimeter fencing,” the commissioner added.
As a follow-up to the state government’s approval to resume work at the centre, Okpor also told reporters during a press briefing on the outcome of the state executive council meeting that the state government has further approved the release of the sum of N70 million for the project’s redesigning and consultancy services.
The amount, he said, was part of approvals made by the State Executive Council during the meeting. He noted that the project, when completed, was expected to further lift the face of the capital city, infrastructurally, while opening more vistas for economic viability and potency.
But since the government approved the N70 million for the project re-designing and consultancy services, nothing more has been heard about the building. Wfen Daily Sun spoke with Okpor last week about the building, the commissioner said the project was currently undergoing integrity tests, after which government would know the next line of action to take.
He said: “Not too long ago, that edifice came under discussion in exco because the government is actually looking at completing it and putting it to use and we are considering using it to replace the Ebonyi Hotels. But the only thing that is holding the final decision is the integrity test that exco directed the commissioner for infrastructure, Engr. Obasi Abara, to conduct.
“Someone may say that there was integrity test in the past. Yes, the government is aware but that particular decision was politicized. Some people tried to paint it that is has political undertones, considering the political atmosphere of that time, the political difference between the person that handled it and the government as at that time.
“Because of that, the state government said, to be double sure, let’s conduct another integrity test. So, if the result of the integrity test comes out and it passes every assessment, the re-designing and the rest is already looked at.
“What will give the government final direction on what to do on that project is that integrity test. If it comes out and it is positive, government will complete it and put it to use but if the integrity test comes out negative, then government will have no choice than to do what is needful, because we cannot be driven by sentiments.”
His commerce, industry and business development counterpart, Oguzor Offia-Nwali, also said that the government was awaiting the result of the integrity test on the project.
He said: “It is going to be a commercial zone in the South East, if we rebuild it. It is currently undergoing integrity test. Very soon, we will complete the test. After the integrity test, the next thing is for government to fix it the best way it can. It will be a world trade centre and then we will start using it.
“The design of the project was brought to Exco meeting for all of us to look at and the governor asked us questions, if the project meets what we want and we echoed, yes, and that’s what I know about the project and as I am speaking with you, his excellency is on the project.
“If it is redesigned, it will be one of the best in the whole South East. After the redesigning, we will be able to know the integrity test and know if the building is still in order for us to continue, because you can put up a structure that has a shallow arrangement and it will not stand.
“The governor is also interested in making sure that the project passes integrity test. The governor directed the commissioner for infrastructure and commissioner for works to make sure they bring people who will do the integrity test to make sure the building is good for use.
“After your call now, I will speak with the commissioner for infrastructure to know if he has finished the integrity test and as soon as the result is out, we will start work there.”
A chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Moses Idika, described the building as another sad commentary on the state, which he said is the poorest state in the southern part of the country. He accused the initiator of the project of starting the building without proper planning for it.
“The state of the so-called World Trade Centre is another sad commentary on Ebonyi State, the poorest state in southern Nigeria. Senator Sam Egwu started it with no proper planning, and he couldn’t finish it.”
“Gov. Martin Elechi came and ignored it, even Umahi who claims that Egwu was his father and god couldn’t touch it. Meanwhile, this is the resources of Ebonyi State wasting away, but both Umahi and Nwifuru all completed their private houses, hotels, filling stations and other real estate concerns, but none of them looked in the direction of the building.
“So it stands as a symbol and tower of shame for the people of Ebonyi State. It is a symbol of the profligacy of Sam Egwu, Martin Elechi, and David Umahi.
“But then, just as that public resources is rotting away, so will the resources and estates of all those connected to it fritter into nothingness,” he told Daily Sun.
A resident of the state, Monday Ottah, said the building would have been one of the best in Nigeria if it was completed. He described government as good in wasting public fund and called for proper planning for such project before being executed.
He called on the current administration in the state to check the project very well to know if it is good structurally before embarking on the completion of it intends to do so.
“My brother, if this particular building should be renovated or restructured and make it a company it would have been one of the best of its kind but they just abandoned it.
“Government is fond of embarking on projects and abandoning them and this building is good example of such projects. Otherwise, tell me why a project of this nature should not be completed and put to use.
“Egwu’s administration that started the world trade center couldn’t couldn’t finish it and government they say is a continuum. His successor should have completed that project but didn’t and that’s the problem we are having in governance today.
“A project will be initiated by an administration with billions of naira and will not be completed. Then, another administration will come in and refuse to continue with the project.
“We have another multi-billion naira project in the state that is becoming a sorry state like this world trade center and that is the olympic stadium Umahi’s administration started and couldn’t finish.
“The type of money that was sunk into that stadium is enough to build many roads and bridges in our villages and it has not been completed. We expected the current administration to continue the project but the governor is not showing any interest in the project,” he said.
Philip Orji Sunday said he saw the building in 2013 the first time and that its height caught his attention when he was on transit. He expressed sadness that the building is still in sorry a state due to many years of abandonment.
He said: “I saw this building the first time I visited Abakaliki around 2013, it should be located somewhere around Presco junction. The height of the building caught my attention while on transit heading to EBSU. I can remember vividly because back then, you can count just but few infrastructure of this kind and magnitude in Abakaliki. All thanks to the immediate past governor, David Umahi, for the incredible work he did in Abakaliki and Ebonyi State at large.
“I also learned that the building was erected by former governor, Sam Egwu . It’s sad to learn that this building is still in this form and shape after many years of abandonment.”
Mrs. Okoro Mariam narrated to Daily Sun how she was robbed by a hoodlum who snatched her hand bag in the night and ran into the building. She said the incident occurred in June last year.
She narrated: “My dear, I had a terrible experience on the road opposite that building that has remained uncompleted. I travelled to Onitsha, Anambra State to buy goods for my shop.
“The bus that conveyed me and other passengers followed Ezza Road and I alighted opposite the trade centre where I could board a tricycle that will take me and my goods to my house. As I was waiting for a tricycle, someone came through my back and snatched my hand bag and immediately ran into that building.
“That bag contained my cell phone, make up kits, and N172,000 that was remaining for me after buying goods. I was planning to use the money to pay my shop rent.
“I was confused that night. Is it to follow that person to that building and abandon my goods worth over N500,000 of which I may not be safe if I had tried it?.
“It was when I was crying that two women were passing and saw me. They joined me in waiting for a tricycle after consoling me and later got one for me. They paid for the tricycle and that was how I was able to go home that fateful night. I have not hurriedly forgotten that ugly incident there.”
Ifunanya Davidson, another resident of the state, said the building has been there for over 20 years without being completed. She noted that she was in Government Technical College(GTC), Abakaliki when the Egwu administration started the project
“That building has been there for over 20years. I was in JSS1 at GTC when they started that project. They should either complete the project or demolish it if they can’t complete it because it poses danger and it is an eye-sore to the state.
“You can imagine the location of the building, very strategic in the capital city and they abandoned it to look the way it is looking,” she lamented.