The Abia State Ministry of Budget and Planning has issued a clarification on budgetary provisions relating to the Lagos Liaison Office in the 2026 Appropriation Law, following public commentaries on figures contained in the published budget document.

 

In a statement released by the Ministry, it explained that the 2026 Budget was officially published on its website on January 31, 2026, in line with the state government’s commitment to transparency and public access to fiscal information.

 

According to the Ministry, the correct and intended budgetary provisions are clearly stated on Page 60 of the document. These include a sum of ₦210,831,142.00 earmarked for the rehabilitation and repair of residential buildings and staff quarters for the Lagos Liaison Office, as well as ₦12,000,000.00 allocated for the procurement of one Sharp photocopier and other sundry office equipment for the office.

 

The Ministry explained that a technical error occurred during the final compilation of the voluminous budget document. On Page 289, a misalignment of figures and descriptions resulted in an incorrect presentation, where values appeared against the wrong items. It noted that the relevant agency has since been notified and the error corrected.

 

It further clarified that the ₦250,000,000.00 figure that appeared beside the copier item on Page 289 was not meant for the procurement of a copier, but actually belonged to a different and larger capital project elsewhere in the budget, which was displaced due to the formatting error. The approved budget for the copier and sundry office equipment, the Ministry stressed, remains ₦12,000,000.00 as stated on Page 60.

 

The Ministry categorically denied any inflation of costs, emphasizing that the issue was purely clerical and presentational in nature.

 

Beyond the clarification, the Ministry used the opportunity to educate the public on the state’s budgetary and procurement processes. It explained that the published budget represents estimates and spending intentions, and does not in itself authorize the release of funds.

 

All procurements, the Ministry said, must pass through strict statutory approval processes, including scrutiny by the Departmental Tenders Board, review by the Ministerial Tenders Board, and final approval and due process certification by the Finance and General Purpose Committee (F&GPC) and the State Executive Council.

 

These safeguards, the Ministry noted, are designed to ensure fiscal discipline, value for money, and transparency in the use of public funds, adding that any procurement that fails to meet due process requirements will not be approved, regardless of budgetary provision.

 

While regretting the confusion caused by the formatting error, the Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to transparent budgeting, prudent financial management, and public accountability, encouraging citizens to maintain confidence in the state’s financial control systems and to continue engaging in public scrutiny as part of democratic governance.