Ebonyi State Fails to Secure $27M World Bank Grant

Civil society organizations (CSOs) in Ebonyi State have called for accountability after the state missed out on a $27 million World Bank HOPE grant. The coalition, led by the Human Rights Volunteer Corp (HRVC), Human Rights Action Group, and Good Live Initiative (GLI), accused the state government of weak fiscal governance and lack of transparency.

During a press briefing in Abakaliki, they urged Governor Francis Nwifuru's administration to embrace accountability and improve public financial management. Prof.

Joseph Agbo, speaking on behalf of the coalition, stated that Ebonyi failed to meet the Key Reform Benchmark (KEI) in education, primary healthcare, and public financial management, which are prerequisites for accessing the World Bank incentive fund. The coalition cited a report from Budgit and the Public Private Development Centre (PPDC), along with findings from the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), indicating that the state had not published critical financial documents, including the annual budget and fiscal reports, thus falling short of the transparency standards required for the program.