SAHARA REPORTERS
An analysis of budget performance documents by SaharaReporters has revealed that the Sokoto state government allocated a staggering N15.520 billion for the purchase of vehicles for various officials.
They comprise House of Assembly members, executive council members and special advisers.
A breakdown of the budget shows that N3.1 billion was earmarked for 30 vehicles for House of Assembly members and management staff, N460 million was budgeted for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker’s fleet while N500 million was allocated for 20 vehicles for government functionaries.
SaharaReporters learnt that an additional amount was budgeted for vehicles for Executive Council members and special advisers, bringing the total to N15.520 billion.
Furthermore, the budget allocated N8.6 billion for the purchase of Toyota Prado SUVs for 30 executive council members, translating to a staggering N289 million per vehicle.
As of the first six months of the year, N4.795 billion has already been expended on acquiring these SUVs, leaving a balance of N3.805 billion.
Additionally, the budget provided for the purchase of 40 Changan vehicles for special advisers, estimated at N2.8 billion. Within the same period, N2.5 billion has been spent on this initiative, leaving a remaining balance of N300 million.
In the first half of 2024, a staggering N7.2 billion has been expended on vehicles for political appointees, comprising N2.5 billion for the purchase of Changan vehicles for special advisers and N4.795 billion for the acquisition of Toyota Prado SUVs for executive council members.
This significant allocation of funds for vehicle procurement has raised questions about the prioritisation of public resources.
According to the state’s financial records, Sokoto state generated N9.5 billion in internally generated revenue (IGR) during the first six months of 2024.
Notably, a significant portion of this revenue, totalling N7.2 billion, was allocated towards the purchase of vehicles for political appointees.
This expenditure accounts for a staggering 72% of the state’s IGR for the same period, raising concerns about the state’s spending priorities and fiscal management.
The allocation of 72% of Sokoto state’s internally generated revenue towards vehicle purchases for political appointees comes at a significant cost to the state’s households.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics’ multidimensional poverty index, the state faces stark developmental challenges, including 52% of school-age children being denied access to education, 60% of the population lacking access to sanitary facilities and 49% of the population lacking access to clean drinking water.
This stark reality highlights the deprivation faced by Sokoto state households, underscoring the need for more equitable allocation of resources towards addressing these pressing developmental needs.
This development is particularly noteworthy given the ongoing calls for a reduction in the cost of governance.
The allocation of such a significant portion of the state’s revenue towards vehicle purchases for political appointees seems to run counter to these demands for fiscal prudence and efficient use of public resources.
THIS STORY FIRST APPEARED IN SAHARA REPORTERS
