Outrage in Enugu: Welder Cries Out Over Unpaid ₦5.5M as Residents Lament Abandonment of Igbo-Etiti Smart School Project

The controversy surrounding the alleged abandonment of the Smart School project in Ndi Ogbe Ward, Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State, has taken a dramatic turn. A local artisan, identified as Sampson Ezechi, has publicly cried out over an alleged multi-million naira debt owed to him by the project’s main contractor.

​The Smart School initiative, originally designed by the government to enhance rural education and provide modern learning facilities, has reportedly stalled, leaving the structure exposed to severe environmental damage. According to local residents, strong winds have already begun destroying parts of the roofing materials, raising widespread anxiety that the infrastructure will completely deteriorate if urgent action is not taken.

​Adding to the community's frustration, details emerged from a local WhatsApp forum following the release of a video showing the current dilapidated state of the site. Reacting to the footage, Mr. Ezechi, the welder contracted to install security doors at the facility, revealed that he has been left in financial distress.

​"I am the welder that did iron doors in this school, and I can tell you that up till now, the contractor—who is Alhaji Sani from Isi-Uzo—has refused to pay me my money totaling ₦5,500,000," Ezechi lamented in a widely shared message.

​Community stakeholders, residents, and media watchdogs—including the Lion Building Media Team—are heavily criticizing the execution of the project. Many are calling the situation a blatant example of economic injustice against local laborers and an abuse of public trust.

​The residents of Ndi Ogbe Ward and surrounding Igbo-Etiti communities are calling on the Enugu State Government and relevant anti-graft agencies to urgently investigate the project, hold the contractor accountable, ensure the local workers are compensated, and push for the immediate completion of the school.