The document claims that the state spent N2 billion on office furnishings and fittings just in the third quarter of 2024.
Between January and September 2024, Governor Kefas Agbu spent an astounding N2.6 billion on office furniture and fittings, according to a recent analysis of the Taraba State budget performance documents.
The document claims that the state spent N2 billion on office furnishings and fittings just in the third quarter of 2024.
In comparison, the state spent N1.4 billion on the construction and provision of public schools, N1.3 billion on the construction and provision of water facilities, and N681 million on the construction and provision of electricity.
All of these funds are less than what the state spent during the same time period on office furnishings and equipment. The construction and provision of hospitals and health centres actually cost zero naira during the nine months from January to September of 2024.
In the same time frame, N1.7 billion was spent on public school rehabilitation and repairs, N617 million was spent on agricultural facility rehabilitation and repairs, and zero naira was spent on water facility rehabilitation and repairs.
The state only spent N496.5 million on erosion and flood control, compared to N2.6 billion on office furnishings and fittings. There are currently 1.37 million impoverished people in Taraba State.
In Taraba, 83% of households are reportedly denied access to sanitary facilities, and 48% of children are reportedly denied access to education. It is estimated that 86% of households do not have access to clean drinking water. Despite calls for more caution in the management of government resources, the extravagant spending goes unchecked.
Due to low revenue, many state governments nationwide mainly rely on loans to fund their budgets. However, there have been issues with accountability and transparency in the way funds that are available to states at various levels are managed.
SaharaReporters, the source