By Olanrewaju Joseph (SIWES student, OSCOTECH)
States’ Expenditure Soars to N1.71tn: A detailed analysis of budget performance reports from Open Nigerian States reveals that the 36 states of the federation have disbursed N1.71tn on recurrent expenses, spanning allowances, foreign trips, office supplies, aircraft maintenance, and more during the initial nine months of 2023.
The PUNCH, scrutinizing data from 24 states for the first three quarters and 12 states for the initial two quarters, highlights a cumulative spending of N802.43bn on salaries alone.
Notably, if salaries were included, the total recurrent spending would escalate to N2.52tn.
The report encompasses various recurrent spending items, such as foreign and domestic travel, Internet fees, entertainment, food, honorarium/sitting allowance, wardrobe allowances, telephone bills, electricity charges, stationery, anniversaries/special days, welfare, aircraft maintenance, and more.
Out of the 36 states, 30 have allocated security votes, amounting to N87.45bn.
Concurrently, the states’ collective borrowings have surged to N988bn by the third quarter of 2023.
In this period, Abia alone expended N17.61bn on housing/rent allowance and meals.Nigeri
