SAHARA REPORTERS
Areview of the Gombe State budget performance documents has shown that the state purchased a 60Kva solar powered generating set for N242million in the first quarter of 2024.
Review shows that the state budgeted N50million for the same purpose but ended up spending over N242million, a figure which is beyond the amount appropriated for it.
In the same budget document, the state budgeted N200million for a 100KVA solar powered generating set.
The state earmarked to spend N3.2billion on generating sets in the whole of 2024 fiscal year.
Checks on the open market shows that a 60KvA generating set however costs less than the amount the government says it spent on purchasing its own solar powered generating set.
SaharaReporters sampled three different companies that deal in solar power. The cost of a 60KvA generating set was put at N15.6million by one of the companies.
This is N227 million less than the amount the government (N242 million) said it bought its own 60KvA solar power generating set.
Another company advertised a 60KVA solar powered generating set for N30 million, they noted that this cost will cover installation. This is N212 million less than the amount the Gombe state government purchased for a 60KvA solar powered generating set.
Another organisation that SaharaReporters sought price from, sent N153 million.
This Asian organisation included in the cost items such as “professional service”, logistics, safety allowance.
Assuming the government even bought the generating set and included all these services listed above, it still will have N89 million oustanding from the N242 million after paying N153 million.
In it’s budget performance report, Gombe state wrote “Purchase of 1 set of 60KVA Solar source of power”, showing that only one of such was bought for the stated N242 million.
SaharaReporters reached out to the Director General of press in the Gombe state government, Ismaila Uba, to seek comments on this development, however despite promising to get back with reaction, he has failed to do that over two days after being reached.
SaharaReporters contacted him on Thursday, wherein he promised to reach out to relevant agencies, same Thursday, he asked to be given till Friday, however all through Friday despite reminders, he did not reply on comments of the government as he claims clarifications were yet to be gotten from relevant agencies.
As of the time of filing this report on Saturday, no reaction has also been gotten from the government.
THIS STORY FIRST APPEARED IN SAHARA REPORTERS
