The Enugu State Government reassures citizens that structural defects seen in a circulating Smart School video were promptly identified, the contractor disengaged, and full corrective measures already underway.
ENUGU STATE GOVERNMENT
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT
The Enugu State Government is aware of a video currently making the rounds on social media showing structural defects, including cracked walls, at one of the Smart Green School construction sites in the state.
We wish to assure the good people of Enugu State and the general public that the said defects had already been identified through our internal monitoring systems well before the video surfaced on social media.
The state government promptly terminated the contract and disengaged the contractor responsible for the substandard execution. The affected site was also flagged and scheduled for full remediation to meet the high structural and safety standards that the Governor Peter Mbah administration has committed to uphold.
Let it be clearly reiterated that this administration will not tolerate substandard work of any kind. The safety of our children, teachers, workers, and host communities remains our highest priority.
To ensure that such lapses are prevented across the 260 Smart Schools at various stages of completion across the state, the government established a three-tiered quality control and monitoring mechanism, comprising:
* Local Government Engineers, who serve as the first line of supervision;
* The Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, which conducts technical oversight and quality assurance; and
* The Governor’s Delivery Unit under the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, which provides high-level, independent verification of every project milestone.
This multi-layered approach ensures that no structural flaw goes undetected and that corrective actions are taken swiftly and without compromise.
We urge the public to note that this is an isolated incident in a vast number of over 1,500 ongoing projects under the Mbah administration. In such a large-scale construction of projects, there may be attempts by unscrupulous contractors to cut corners, but we are fully equipped to detect, expose, and correct such deviations promptly. Indeed, this case is proof that our systems work.
The Peter Mbah Administration remains deeply committed to delivering world-class, safe, and durable educational infrastructure that will serve our children and communities for generations to come. We will not relent until every Smart School stands as a symbol of excellence, innovation, and integrity.
We thank the good people of Enugu State for your vigilance and continued support, and we reaffirm our commitment to uphold the highest standards in all infrastructural projects across Enugu State.
Signed:
Prof. Chidiebere Onyia
Secretary to the State Government
Enugu State
6th July, 2025