By News Desk
UYO, Nigeria — Civil society tracking organization Tracka has exposed a major infrastructure failure in Akwa Ibom State, revealing that ₦231.4 million meant for the construction of critical farm access roads has been paid out in full with zero physical work executed on site.
The abandoned project, covering the Abiakpo-Ikot Essien Ikono Road in Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, was designed to open up rural farming communities across Ikono and Abak Local Government Areas to commercial markets.
Disbursement Details and Misallocated Procurement
Field tracking conducted in August 2026 revealed a pattern of institutional mismanagement and non-performance:
- Complete Financial Payout: Official public procurement records show that Hard Harts Construction Ltd received ₦231.4 million in December 2024 for the contract.
- Zero On-Site Execution: Despite full mobilization payments over 20 months ago, field tracking confirmed no earthworks, machinery, or preliminary construction activities have taken place, leaving commuters and local farmers wading through mud.
- Agency Misallocation: Monitors highlighted a severe systemic irregularity in project routing, noting that the federal contract was improperly funneled through the Nigeria Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI) in Ilorin—an agricultural research body dedicated to post-harvest crop storage rather than civil engineering and road infrastructure.
Demands for Anti-Graft Investigation
Public accountability advocates have called on federal law enforcement to track down the disbursed funds and enforce accountability:
Tracka called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to initiate a joint criminal investigation into the project’s allocation and payment pipeline. Advocates demanded that the anti-graft agencies hold Hard Harts Construction Ltd and approving officials at NSPRI accountable to ensure the funds are recovered or the contractor is immediately forced back to the site.
