EXCLUSIVE: Kogi Governor Ododo Spends N2.2billion In Three Months On ‘Remodelling Government House’ As Education, Health Get N600million
The budget performance review of the Kogi State government expenditure has shown that the state spent N2.2 billion on “remodelling government house structure” between April and June, 2024 which represents the second quarter of the year.
This occurred under the Usman Ododo led Kogi government.
The development is despite budgeting only N962 million for the same for the whole year.
Another sum of N200 million was spent for renovation and furnishing of the deputy governor’s office and lodge, at N100million each (for office and lodge).
Another sum of N784 million was spent on “government house minor capital expenses” despite budgeting N100 million for the same.
This expenditure was carried out under direct procurement. It is unclear why the state spent N784 million for “minor capital work” and did not also do so by allowing open competitive bidding.
While Kogi state government classified N784 million it spent in three months for “minor capital works in government house” as a minor expenditure, its total expenses for six for construction/provision of public schools for the whole state was only N495 million, only N101 million was spent on provision of hospitals/health centres.
In total N3.1 billion was spent in three months(April to June) for remodelling government house structures, government house minor capital expenditure and renovating/furnishing deputy governor office and lodge.
In 2023, the state government spent N1.3 billion for renovating government offices and quarters across the state, yet incurred about three times the expenditure barely four months after it spent N1.3 billion.
This development comes even as the state spent only N395 million on water resources capital development, only N1.8 billion was spent in the second quarter of the year on education capital expenditure , only N1.3 billion was spent on the environment ministry capital expenditure in the second quarter of the year.
Kogi State has been perennially enmeshed in corruption and allegations on mismanagement of public funds.
The state ex-governor, Yahaya Bello, is facing a N80billion corruption trial while evading arrests and failing to appear in court.
