A review of the Ekiti State budget performance document has shown that several billions of naira were allegedly spent without budgetary allocation by the state.
According to the document, the state budgeted the sum of N18.9 billion for the state governor’s office expenditure in 2024.
However, as of the nine months period between January and September, it has spent N28.7billion.
This showed that a sum of N9.8 billion was spent without allocation. Of this amount N2.9 billion was spent without allocation under the tag “pension transition arrangement department.”
The Ekiti State government’s House of Assembly budgeted N1.2million for staff matters and industrial relations, however between January and September, has already spent N2.2 million.
The state ministry of special duties budgeted to spend N5 million, however it has spent N22.3 million within the period of January and September, 2024.
The state’s ministry of finance and economic development budget stood at N30.7 billion. However, within the first three quarters of the year, N35.9 billion has been spent, showing that a sum of N5.2 billion that was not allocated was spent.
The ministry of employment and wealth creation budget stood at N468.8 million for 2024. However N1.2 billion was spent already between January and September.
The Ekiti State electricity board budgeted to spend N1.596 billion, it however spent N3 billion in the nine month period between January and September 2024.
The Ekiti state water board corporation budgeted to spend N23 million for overhead expenditure but spent N72.7 million between January and September, 2024.
The electricity board planned to spend N501.5 milllion for its overhead expenditure but spent N2.1billion between January and September, 2024.
The state Ministry of Trade and Industries budgeted N42.9 million but spent N187.8 million between January and September, 2024.
Also the ministry of works and transport had a budget of N19.7 billion for the capital expenditure of the 2024 fiscal year but spent only N34.2 billion within January and September 2024.
The developments come despite budget preparations that are meant to guide expenditures of a state.
Based on the budget performance documents, these monies spent without allocation were also spent without inscription of a supplementary budget provision.
There have been concerns on accountability and prudence across states in the country.