EXCLUSIVE: Abia State Budget Report Verifies Governor Otti Overspent N25 million on public schools and N927 million on meals and welfare packages in just three months.

According to a copy of the state budget performance report obtained by SaharaReporters, Abia State Governor Alex Otti spent an astounding N927 million in just three months on welfare packages for the eggheads, honoraria payment, dinners, and refreshments.

Performance for the third quarter and the year is evaluated in relation to the updated 2023 Budget, which includes the Original Budget plus an Amendment Payment of N22,263,269,900. 

The Abia State Planning Commission, Budget Department/Office of the Accountant General, Accounts Production Department created and released this Budget Performance Report, which is available on the Abia State website.

According to the report, between July and September of 2023, the Otti-led government spent N305,400,000.00 on government officials' honoraria and sitting allowance and N223,389,889.84 on refreshments and meals.

Additionally, the government declared that N397,520,734.00 was spent on welfare benefits.

Furthermore, the document states that N737,922,661.25 was paid for the purchase of automobiles.  It was never disclosed how many vehicles were purchased or for whom.

A total of N400,890,000.00 was utilised to buy buses, while the Abia government spent N362,804,050.00 on trucks.

The government stated in the paper that N252.4 million was utilised for the three-month operation of the Deputy Governor's office.

However, the audit revealed that the government had only allocated N25 million for the state's public school repairs.

This is because a large number of Abia State's public elementary and secondary schools are referred to as "eyesores."

Numerous online reports claim that the majority of the 17 local government areas in Abia State's public secondary and primary school structures and facilities are old and degrading as a result of the government's incompetence.

It was reported that a substantial portion of the state's school buildings were almost abandoned, with tonnes of trash, human excreta, and overgrown plants. Some of the buildings had leaking roofs, damaged furniture, doors, and windows.