Our sources had gathered that a major procurement scandal is brewing in Ebonyi State, as fresh investigations reveal that the Ministry of Works and Transport awarded a ₦3.3 billion road construction contract to a company directly linked to its own Permanent Secretary.
Who Got the Contract?
The project in question is the “Construction of Concrete Rigid Pavement TTC-Iboko Road”.
Documents show it was awarded to Maurifrank Nigeria Limited, a firm whose listed directors include:
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Nkwuda Monday Nnanna
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Nkwuda Roseline
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Nkwuda Frankline
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Nkwuda Anita
Digging deeper, it was uncovered that Mr. Nkwuda Monday Nnanna is not only a director of the company but also the sitting Permanent Secretary of the Ebonyi State Ministry of Works and Transport.
Shockingly, despite being the chief accounting officer of the ministry, his company was handed the multi-billion-naira deal on May 6, 2025.
Conflict of Interest Exposed
On Maurifrank’s official website, Mr. Nkwuda’s personal email address was found listed as a company contact, alongside his verified phone number.
Further checks show that the company originally submitted a bid of ₦2.6 billion during the tender process. However, the final contract approval raised the cost to ₦3.3 billion, leaving a ₦700 million gap that remains unexplained.
What the Law Says
The Ebonyi State Public Procurement Act (2020) clearly outlines that:
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Section 21 (19): Individuals involved in preparing procurement processes cannot bid for or benefit from the same project.
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Section 21 (16): Accounting officers are fully accountable for all procurement actions taken or omitted, whether legal or illegal.
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Section 21 (17): Even when a Tenders Board approves a project, the Permanent Secretary remains personally responsible for ensuring compliance with procurement laws.
As the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Nkwuda is legally obligated to uphold transparency and accountability. Instead, he allegedly awarded his own company a contract worth billions, directly contradicting the procurement law he is supposed to enforce.
Why This Matters
This development raises serious questions about governance, conflict of interest, and accountability in Ebonyi State. If left unchecked, it could set a dangerous precedent where public officials use their offices to enrich themselves while ignoring due process.
