The Ebonyi State Executive Council has terminated poorly executed 2km road projects across communities in the state, including those abandoned by contractors after receiving funds.

Commissioner for Information and State Orientation Chief Ikeuwa Omebeh disclosed this to journalists in Abakaliki, the state capital, following the outcome of this week’s Executive Council meeting.

“Following EXCO’s earlier observation that most of the contractors handling the construction of the 2 km roads had either abandoned the site after receiving payments or executed a very poor job on the projects, EXCO, after an extensive deliberation, approved immediate termination of all 2 km roads not yet completed.

“Recall that the EXCO of Tuesday, 3rd February, 2026, had noticed with dismay the slow pace of works at the project sites and consequently directed committees supervising the project to move to the sites and also make recommendations for the termination of jobs that were either not seriously ongoing or poorly executed.

“The committees were also mandated to review all payment certificates and certify them before payments are made,” he said.

The commissioner said the council was proposing an executive bill to regulate landlord-tenant relations, rents, and fees charged by house agents in the state, following increases in house and shop rents.

He said that when the law comes into force, it will be illegal for any agent to collect a fee exceeding 2% of the total rent required across the state.

According to him, the measure is to ensure that all qualified and registered agents act within the law to cushion the hardship that arbitrary agent charges have imposed on the people.

“Following the state government’s earlier resolve to tame activities of house agents, which have invariably led to exorbitant house rents, particularly in the state capital, EXCO proposes an Executive Council Bill to regulate landlord and tenant rents and fees charged by house agents in the state.

“With this law, it will be illegal for any agent to collect a fee exceeding 2% of the total percentage of the required rent across the state.

“This is to ensure that all qualified and registered agents act within the law to cushion the hardship that arbitrary agent charges have meted out on the citizens.

“In the same vein, EXCO proposes an EXCO bill tagged a BILL FOR A LAW to regulate the sale of metal and electrical scraps in Ebonyi State and other related matters.

“The bill, when turned into law, is expected to regulate the buying, selling, possession, transportation and disposal of metal and electrical scraps in Ebonyi State. This is to avoid vandalism, environmental degradation and promotion of public safety; and for related matters,” Omebeh stated.

On agriculture, he said that as a deliberate intervention to consolidate the present administration’s agricultural agenda, deepen mechanisation, and enhance productivity among smallholder and medium-scale farmers, who constitute the backbone of the food system, the council approved the sum of five hundred million naira (N500,000,000) for the procurement of 250 agricultural power tiller machines for strategic distribution to farmers across the state ahead of the 2026 farming season.

“By this intervention, the government hopes to significantly enhance mechanisation, increase productivity, and reduce farming drudgery.

“The initiative is also expected to empower farmers, create employment opportunities, and encourage youth participation in agriculture. Each [piece of] equipment, by its unit calculation, is expected to cost two million naira (N2,000,000) only,” he revealed. (The Sun)