Daud Olatunji
Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, is currently under scrutiny following the disclosure of financial statements indicating expenditure of N5.4 billion on Refreshments, Meals, Honorarium, Sitting Allowance, and Fuel during the years 2021 and 2022.
The detailed breakdown, unearthed by PLATFORM TIMES, originates from financial statements prepared by the Accountant-General/Permanent Secretary, Tunde Aregbesola, and is dated April 28, 2023.
This revelation surfaced after PLATFORM TIMES accessed the information posted on the BudgIT portal, which discloses financial statements for various states across the country.
The access to this information occurred on Saturday, November 25, 2023.
Breaking down the figures, it was discovered that Governor Abiodun allocated N1,050,997,144.32 and N743,614,816.37 for refreshments and meals in 2022 and 2021, respectively.
A closer examination by PLATFORM TIMES revealed that the cumulative expenditure for both years amounted to a substantial N1,794,611,960.69 on Refreshment and Meals.
Concerns grew as the figures unfolded, indicating Honorarium and Sitting Allowance expenses of N822,069,804.87 and N273,470,635.84 in 2022 and 2021, respectively.
The combined spending by Governor Abiodun on these items during the years 2021 and 2022 totaled N1,095,540,440.71.
Further dissection of the financial statements exposed significant allocations for Fuel and Lubricants-General, which includes Cooking Gas and Fuel Cost.
Notably, N936,000.00 and N528,500.00 were spent in 2022 and 2021, respectively.
Motor Vehicle Fuel Cost also drew attention with Abiodun allocating N611,147,768.37 in 2022 and N548,122,918.60 in 2021.
Additionally, expenses on Transport and Equipment Fuel, as well as Plant/Generator Fuel Cost, amounted to N805,969,904.67 and N560,602,170.66 in 2022 and 2021, respectively.
PLATFORM TIMES’ scrutiny of the financial statements highlighted that the sum of N5.4 billion was expended by various government establishments in the state between 2021 and 2022, raising questions about the appropriateness and transparency of the expenditures.
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