The civil society organization, for Initiative and Grassroot Advancement In Nigeria (INGRA), has called for investigation into the huge sum of money budgeted to the office of deputy Governor of Kogi State Chief Edward Onoja for 2020 budget.
The Organization disclosed this via a Statement signed by Hamza Aliyu, the executive director of INGRA.
According to the statement, it is not in the interest of the people of Kogi State, to budget’s over N2.0 Billion to the office of deputy Governor, as that will not help in any way in alleviating the suffering of the masses in Kogi State.
The group further said that, with that kind of budget to only office of deputy Governor, the state will not be able to be developed infra structurally.
The Statement read, “The executive governor also stated that the state staff audit (screening) was necessitated by a bloated staff strength and that ‘these anomalies were choking life out of the state and worsening an already parlous socioeconomic situation’.
“From the above, it is clear to all concerned citizens of the state, especially the leadership, that the financial position of Kogi State is in dire situation thus calling for prudent financial management of our very limited and very scarce resources.
“It is based on this premises that a cursory glance at the budget estimates for the Office of the Deputy Governor leaves one with a bewilderment on the rationale for the seemingly ‘over bloated and unjustifiable’ resources intended to be spent by the Number 2 citizen of the state,
“These areas include Kogi State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS that has had a budget of N2.5m naira every year since 2016 and has never recorded release of a single Kobo. This must be a record of some sort in the expenditure history of Kogi State.
“Also, Kogi State Fiscal Responsibility Commission which since 2018 has not had any release of funds. The Kogi State Ministry of Works and Urban Renewal for the immediate construction of Ganaja Junction – Ganaja Village road which has become an eye sore and a death trap to motorists.”
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