Abia State clarifies Lagos Liaison Office budget items in the 2026 Appropriation Law, explaining a clerical error and reaffirming transparency.
The Abia State Ministry of Budget and Planning has issued an official clarification following public commentary on certain budgetary allocations related to the Lagos Liaison Office in the 2026 Appropriation Law.
According to the Ministry, the 2026 Fiscal Year Budget was formally published on its official website on January 31, 2026, in line with the state government’s transparency and open-governance policy. The document remains publicly accessible for review by citizens and stakeholders.
The Ministry explained that the accurate and approved budgetary provisions for the Lagos Liaison Office are clearly stated on page 60 of the published budget. These include a sum of ₦210,831,142 allocated for the rehabilitation and repair of the residential building and staff quarters attached to the Lagos Liaison Office. In addition, ₦12,000,000 was earmarked for the procurement of one Sharp photocopier and other sundry office equipment for the facility.
However, during the final compilation of the extensive budget document, a technical formatting error occurred. On page 289, a misalignment of figures and descriptions led to the inadvertent reversal of values, creating an incorrect impression of the actual allocations. The Ministry confirmed that this clerical error has been identified and formally communicated to the relevant agency for correction.
Clarifying further, the Ministry stressed that the ₦250,000,000 figure that appeared beside the copier item on page 289 does not represent the cost of procuring office equipment. Rather, that amount belongs to a separate, larger capital project elsewhere in the budget and was wrongly positioned due to the formatting issue. The approved budget for the copier and related office equipment remains ₦12,000,000 as originally provided.
The Ministry firmly stated that there has been no inflation or exaggeration in the cost of procuring a copier for the Lagos Liaison Office. The discrepancy was purely presentational and did not reflect any financial misconduct.
Beyond the clarification, the Ministry used the opportunity to educate the public on the nature of the budgeting and procurement process in Abia State. It emphasized that the published budget is a planning and authorization document, not an automatic approval for spending. No funds can be released or spent based solely on budgetary estimates.
All procurements within the Abia State Government must pass through multiple layers of statutory review and approval. These include evaluation by the Departmental Tenders Board, further scrutiny by the Ministerial Tenders Board, and final approval and due-process certification by the Finance and General Purpose Committee and the State Executive Council.
These oversight mechanisms are designed to ensure accountability, value for money, and responsible use of public funds. Any procurement that fails to meet due-process requirements or cannot justify its cost will not be approved, regardless of budgetary provision.
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The Ministry expressed regret over the confusion caused by the formatting error and reassured the public of its unwavering commitment to transparent budgeting and fiscal discipline. Citizens were encouraged to maintain confidence in the state’s established financial control systems, as the administration remains open to public scrutiny as part of its accountability framework.
Abia State Ministry of Budget and Planning
February 7, 2026