Jude Ogbonna, a citizen of Enugu State, has taken matters into his own hands by contacting the Federal Ministry of Water Resources by letter. He has formally requested, under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011, that all records pertaining to the Ivo River Dam Project be made public.
A number of towns in the state’s Aninri Local Government Area were devastated by floods just days before he made this plea.
“Application for All Relevant Paperworks Relating to the Award of Ivo River Dam Project/Ivo Multi-Purpose Earth Dam,” said the letter that Afrisearch spotted on Thursday, October 13, 2026.
In his request for contract details, publisher Ogbonna sought various documents from the ministry. These documents included the following: award notice or letter of award, contract agreement or service-level agreement, bill of quantities (BOQ), project specifications, records of bidding and procurement, approval documents, records of payment and disbursement, and reports on the status and completion of the project.
He acknowledged in the letter that former president Goodluck Jonathan included the Ivo River Dam Project—also called the Ivo Multi-Purpose Earth Dam—in the national budget in 2009.
D.A. Construction Limited and Anbeez Services Nigeria Limited were allegedly parties to the deal at one stage, which I recognise.
The project was scheduled to have started in 2012, according to the information I have.
Many undocumented instances of destruction had previously happened in the same locations as a result of the abandoned project, therefore that specific incidence was merely the beginning.
The inhabitants of Aninri have a right to know the truth about the project, so I am seeking all the paperwork related to it since the beginning.
“I implore you to utilise your esteemed position to assist my people in comprehending the origin of this danger, which has persistently resulted in mortal losses and material destruction,” he supplanted.
The ministry is required by the Freedom of Information Act to respond within seven business days.