Cost Of Governance: Enugu Emerges The Least In Recurrent Spending

Data published by Open Nigerian States, a website supported by BudgIT, has shown that the Enugu State government is the most prudent state in recurrent expenditures.

The development has equally earned 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 N986.64 billion 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, N189.62bn, followed by Delta State, which recorded N68.68 billion.

Ebonyi State recorded the highest recurrent expenses in the South East with N14.95 billion, followed by Abia State with N10.92 billion and Anambra State with N9.91 billion recurrent expenses.

However, Enugu State recorded only N7.51billion in recurrent expenditures, the lowest in the region and the entire country.

Reacting to the development, the Enugu Good Governance Group, in a statement by its national coordinator, Comrade Odinaka Okechukwu, said it was yet another indication that the governor’s presence in the 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 public funds, were not mere campaign buzzwords.

“With a low N107.2 billion recurrent expenditure, representing about 21 percent of Enugu’s N521.5 billion 2024 budget and a whooping N414.3 billion or 79 percent 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.