Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, said his administration will complete the 11-storeyed trade centre in the state abandoned 20 years ago.

The state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Jude Okpor, said this in a statement issued at the end of the state executive council meeting in Abakaliki on Saturday.

The trade centre was started and abandoned by the first civilian Governor of the state, Dr Sam Egwu.

Mr Okpor said, “The state team of engineers conducted an integrity test on the Trade Centre on March 17, 2025, since it was abandoned over 20 years ago. In furtherance of the above, the Commissioner for Infrastructure, Ogbonnaya Abara, presented to the exco the report of the integrity test conducted by independent experts, which gave the building a clean bill of health. Based on our findings, the investigated building is stable and safe for use at the time of this investigation. In view of the development, the council resolved to reconstruct and complete the project.’’

The commissioner said that the council also constituted an inter-ministerial exco committee headed by Mr Abara with a charge to return to the building and ensure its speedy completion.

The governor expressed joy that the enormous resources of the state already sunk into the building started 20 years ago would not be wasted.

He further expressed his administration’s commitment to ensuring the timely completion of the long-abandoned project.

(NAN)