We spent only N223.3m not N927m on feeding — Abia govt

Steve Unegbu, Umuahia

The Abia State Government has debunked reports in social media that Governor Alex Otti spent N927million on feeding since he assumed office on May 29. It, described the reports as distorted.
The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma made the clarifications on Tuesday at Government House Umuahia during the week’s press briefing on decisions reached by the State’s Executive Council in their meeting presided by the State Governor Dr Otti.
Answering a question on the alleged spending of close to N1billion on feeding and welfare for the Governor’s Office, Ekeoma stated that the accurate situation was that nothing in that region has been spent in the Governor’s Office.
According to him,” The total amount spent so far by the entire government of Abia State for refreshments and meals for the period is N223,389,889.84″, adding that the figure is as captured in all the Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government.
He said that “the figure is for the entire state and not for the Office of the Governor, as being erroneously portrayed and that it covered “expenses for special events such as retreats, conferences and related events”
Continuing, he said for the welfare, the Abia State government has so far spent the sum of N397,520,734.84 and that the Welfare Expenditure is in line with the State Fiscal, Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability programme, an initiative of the Federal Government.
He maintained that the Welfare Expenditure covered all the MDAs and not just the Governor’s Office, as wrongly alleged insisting that expenses under welfare deal with issues of health, rehabilitation and public emergencies.
He assured that Abia State government under the leadership of Dr Alex Otti would continue to uphold transparency in governance as has been demonstrated in the publication of the budget performance report for two consecutive quarters.