Abia State's 2026 Appropriation Bill, signed by Governor Alex Otti in December 2025, has sparked a wave of criticism after a review by SaharaReporters revealed a staggering ₦210,831,142 allocation for a single photocopier for the state's Lagos Liaison Office. This is a massive jump from the ₦2.5 million budgeted for the same item in 2025, raising questions about the rationale behind the over ₦208 million increase ¹ ².
The budget, which totals ₦1.016 trillion, was tagged the "Budget of Acceleration and New Possibilities" and allocates 80% of its funds to capital projects. The controversial photocopier line item falls under "Total Capital Expenditure, Reform for Government and Governance, Abia State Liaison Office, Lagos" ¹ ². The news has ignited outrage on social media, with many citizens questioning how a single office machine could cost so much, especially when many public schools in the state are in poor condition and received only ₦25 million for repairs ¹ ².
Further scrutiny of the budget shows other significant expenditures: ₦287 million for social media and radio publicity, ₦397.5 million on welfare packages, ₦362.8 million for trucks, and ₦400.9 million for buses. The government also spent ₦223 million on refreshments and meals, and ₦305 million on honorarium and sitting allowances for officials between July and September 2023 ¹ ². Critics argue that these figures, especially the photocopier, highlight a lack of transparency and possible misallocation of funds, while supporters claim the budget is focused on accelerating development and infrastructure in Abia ³ ⁴.
The Abia State government has yet to provide a detailed explanation for the photocopier's cost, and civil society groups are calling for more oversight and accountability in the state's budgeting process ⁵ ¹.
*What do you think about this budget allocation? Should there be more public oversight on state spending?* 📊💰🤔 ¹ ² ⁵
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