The Abia State Ministry of Budget and Planning said that its attention has been drawn to commentaries regarding specific line items for the Lagos Liaison Office in the published 2026 Fiscal Year Budget.
In a statement issued on Saturday 7th 7th February, 2026, the Ministry said, “We wish to state the following verifiable facts for the records and the enlightenment of the public:
1. The 2026 Budget was duly published on the Ministry’s official website on January 31, 2026, in the spirit of transparency and public access.
2. On Page 60 of the said document, the correct and intended provisions are clearly stated as follows:
N210,831,142.00 was provided for the “rehabilitation/repair of residential building/staff quarters for Lagos liaison office.”
N12,000,000.00 was provided for the “procurement of 1 Sharp copier etc, etc being every other sundry equipment for the liaison office.”
3. A technical error occurred during the final compilation of the voluminous document. On Page 289, a misalignment of text and values took place, which inadvertently flipped the descriptions against the figures. This presented an incorrect reading. The relevant Agency has since been notifed of the correction.
4. The N250,000,000.00 figure that appeared beside the copier item on Page 289 is not the provision for a copier. It is, in fact, the value for a different, larger capital project elsewhere in the budget, which was displaced by the formatting error. The budget for the copier and sundry office equipment remains N12,000,000.00 as correctly stated on Page 60.”
“We categorically state that there has been no inflation of the cost for the procurement of a copier. The error was purely clerical and presentational.”
“Most importantly, the Ministry wishes to educate the public on the budget process:
The published budget contains estimates and intentions. It is a planning document that authorizes spending up to specified limits. No funds can be disbursed for any procurement based solely on these estimates.”
“Every procurement in the Abia State Government must, by law and financial regulations, pass through rigorous approval processes. These mandatory guardrails include:
* Scrutiny and approval by the Departmental Tenders Board.
* Further review and approval by the Ministerial Tenders Board.
* Final approval and due process certification by the Finance and General Purpose Committee (F&GPC) and the State Executive Council”
“These layers of scrutiny are designed specifically to ensure fiscal responsibility, value-for-money, and the transparent use of taxpayers’ funds. Any procurement that does not justify its cost or follow due process will not be approved, regardless of the initial budgetary provision.”
“The Ministry regrets the confusion caused by the formatting misalignment and assures the public that our commitment to transparency remains unwavering. We encourage citizens to always have confidence in the established financial control systems that govern all our expenditures. This administration remains committed to trasparent budgeting and prudent use of public funds and welcomes public scutiny as part of its established accountability structure.”