The Enugu State Government has emerged the most prudent state in recurrent expenditures, data published by Open Nigerian States, a website supported by BudgIT, has shown.
The development has equally earned the Governor Peter Mbah-led administration the commendation of an Enugu-based civil society organisation, the Enugu Good Governance Group, E-3G.
According to the Open Nigerian States, the budget implementation report of the states showed that while Benue, Imo, Niger, Rivers, Sokoto and Yobe States have no data to their names, the remaining 30 state governments recorded N986.64bn in recurrent expenditures, which includes workers salaries, refreshments, sitting allowances, travelling, utilities, among others, in the first quarter of 2024.
Lagos State recorded the highest recurrent expenses nationally, being N189.62bn, followed by Delta State, which recorded N68.68bn.
Ebonyi State recorded the highest recurrent expenses in the South East with N14.95bn, followed by Abia State with N10.92bn and Anambra State with N9.91bn recurrent expenses.
However, Enugu State recorded only N7.51bn to emerge the least in recurrent expenditures in both the region and the entire country.
Reacting to the development, the Enugu Good Governance Group The group, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Odinaka Okechukwu, said the development was yet another indication that the governor’s presence in government was inspired by selfless service.
“This is a clear testimony to the high level of fiscal discipline in the Governor Mbah Administration, and a demonstration that accountability, transparency, and traceability, which he mouthed as guiding principles in the administration of public funds were not mere campaign buzzwords.
“With a low 107.2bn recurrent expenditure, representing about 21 per cent of Enugu’s N521.5bn 2024 budget and a whooping N414.3bn or 79 per cent of the budget earmarked for capital projects, Governor Mbah has thus far left no one in doubt of his commitment to disrupting the status quo to transform the state in all ramifications.
“Also commendable is the governor’s disposition to citizen engagement. Besides several town hall meetings and media engagements, Mbah, on Thursday, 30th May, 2024 engaged the citizens on X (formerly Twitter) Space, on government policies, programmes, and projects, among others,” the group stated.
