The Ebonyi State government has officially denied claims that it had expended N1.1 billion over nine months on wildlife conservation. This denial was articulated in a statement by Jude Okpor, the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation.
Okpor criticized the reports as lacking investigative rigor and asserted that the alleged amount was actually allocated for contingency items, not wildlife conservation.
He explained that the figure was mistakenly recorded under "wildlife conservation" due to a typographical error in the Quarterly Budget Implementation Report. The correct allocation, he clarified, was under the "MARGIN FOR INCREASE IN COST" in the Approved Budget.
Okpor emphasized that the state does not have a zoo, which should have prompted the report's author to seek clarification from appropriate authorities. He assured the public that the error would be rectified in the upcoming Quarter 4 Budget Implementation report, set to be released in January 2025.
Furthermore, Okpor highlighted the administration's commitment to fiscal transparency and accountability, noting that Ebonyi State ranks highly on the national fiscal transparency league table.
Comentários