A major transparency row has erupted in Delta State following revelations that N50 million allegedly budget-allocated for the construction of the Magistrate Court and High Court at Erho, Abraka, has yielded no physical results.
According to the 2024 Delta State Budget Implementation Report, the funds were officially documented as spent, yet the specified judicial facilities remain in a state of severe neglect and decay.
The Reality on the Ground
An on-the-ground tracking exercise conducted by accountability organization Tracka revealed a stark contrast between official government records and the physical reality of the site. Instead of a newly constructed or renovated judicial complex, investigators met with a dilapidated facility fast being swallowed by nature.
The entire compound has been completely overgrown by bushes, while the roofs of several sections of the existing court building are actively pulling off, leaving the infrastructure vulnerable to the elements.
Court Officials Deny Project Knowledge
The discrepancy deepens further as judicial staff stationed at the facilities expressed complete ignorance regarding any ongoing or concluded capital projects. Officials from both the Magistrate and High Courts confirmed that no contractors have mobilized to the site, nor has any renovation work taken place within the budget cycle.
“We have not heard of this project and nothing of such was done,” court officials asserted during the tracking exercise. “The current benches in use at the court were actually provided by the community,” the sitting Magistrate added, highlighting the severe lack of basic amenities despite the multi-million naira budgetary allocation.
Demands for Accountability and EFCC Probe
The glaring gap between the state’s financial reporting and the actual state of the Abraka courts has triggered widespread calls for an immediate forensic audit. Citizens and transparency advocates are demanding to know where the disbursed millions went if the local community is still left to self-fund basic courtroom furniture.
In light of these findings, Tracka has officially called on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, alongside federal anti-graft agencies, to launch an immediate investigation into the contract execution. The public is urging the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to look into the financial discrepancy, hold the handling contractors accountable, and provide taxpayers with the explicit details of the project’s funding timeline.
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