While the government budgeted the sum of N1billion to renovate the Governor's offices, as of the Q2, 2024, it already spent N1.1billion for same purposes.
A review of the Cross River State budget performance documents for first and second quarter of 2024, has shown that the Governor Bassey Otu-led administration spent over N1.6billion on renovating the governor’s residence and offices.
The expenditures took place in the second quarter of the year (between April and June, 2024).
While the government budgeted the sum of N1billion to renovate the Governor's offices, as of the Q2, 2024, it already spent N1.1billion for same purposes.
Another sum of N500million was earmarked as spent for the renovation of the governor’s lodge.
In total N1.6 billion was spent within three months for renovation of governor's offices and lodge by the Cross River State government.
In the same period, no money was spent on capital expenditure of the ministry of science and technology, only N125.5 million was spent on the ministry of power capital expenditure, capital expenditure for ministry of water resources stood at zero naira, that of ministry of mineral resources was zero.
In the first and second quarter of the year, the education sector capital expenditure stood at N1.6 billion, same as the amount spent on renovating governor’s offices and lodge.
Only N787 million was spent on repairs of public schools, only N9.5 million was spent on rehabilitation of hospitals and health centres.
These expenditures underscore the priority spending of government amid calls for more prudent management of financial resources by different state governments.
SaharaReporters in February reported that civil servants in the state staged a protest against non payment of their January salaries.
The angry workers had occupied the office of the Secretary to the State Government, (SSG) Prof. Anthony Owan Enoh where they were directed to report for complaints.
The protesters, were chanting solidarity songs against the government.
An affected civil servant had told CrossRiverWatch that when salaries were paid, some civil servants did not receive theirs.
“When they complained, we were asked to go to the SSG office with our names, computer number, and account details among others.
“When we got there, and they did not tell us anything special, hence the agitation you are seeing in that video,” the civil servant, (name withheld) added.
“The hardship is killing some people already. That is with all this hardship and suffering, Dem no pay salaries o… Children are out of school, no food,” the civil servant added.
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