₦74.5m Classroom Project Abandoned in Epe Despite Full Funding — Report
By Emmanuel Daniji
A report by civic monitoring platform MonitNG, shared on social media platform X, has revealed that a federally funded classroom construction project at Pobuna Secondary Grammar School, Poka, Epe, Lagos State, has been abandoned despite the full release of funds.
According to the report, ₦74.58 million was disbursed on 27 June 2024 to Joyful Sound Nigeria Ltd for the construction of classrooms and toilet facilities at the school. The project was expected to ease overcrowding and improve learning conditions for students.
MonitNG disclosed that initial construction activities commenced shortly after the funds were released. Building materials were reportedly delivered to the site, walls were erected, and beams were cast, raising hopes within the community that the long-standing infrastructure challenges at the school would soon be addressed.
However, those hopes have faded. Findings by the Tracka team, confirmed through the Govspend platform, indicate that the project site has now been completely abandoned. A recent visit reportedly found no workers on site, no ongoing construction activity, and only partially completed structures left exposed to deterioration.
Community members told MonitNG that the contractor has not returned to the site since May 2025.
The situation is made more concerning by the reported involvement of the Federal Ministry of Justice in the project. Observers have questioned why a ministry primarily responsible for legal advisory services, rule of law enforcement, and government litigation would be directly associated with the execution of a school construction project.
As of the time of the report, students of Pobuna Secondary Grammar School are still learning in overcrowded classrooms, while a fully funded project intended to provide new classrooms and sanitation facilities remains stalled.
MonitNG described the development as a case of wasted public funds, institutional failure, and denial of essential educational infrastructure to students.
The platform has called on the Federal Ministry of Justice to clarify its role in the project and ensure accountability. It also urged relevant agencies, including the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs (OSSAP-SDGs), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), to intervene to ensure the project is completed and public funds are properly accounted for.
Echonews will continue to monitor developments surrounding the project.
