Governor Alex Otti of Abia has cleared the air on the controversial figure of N1.5 billion earmarked for the purchase of two Hilux vans in the state’s 2024 budget.
Oti attributed the error to a software glitch generated by the Excel package used in preparing the budget document.
Otti made the clarification on Tuesday when answering questions from journalists.
An online news platform had reported that the state government budgeted N1.5 billion for the purchase of “two Toyota Hilux” vans.
In the said report, the breakdown of the budget showed N5,946,756,437 was voted for the purchase of motor vehicles, N2,704,980,600 for the purchase of vans, N949,000,000 for the purchase of trucks, and N3,011,804,906 for the purchase of buses.
Speaking at Eziukwu Road Market in Aba where he had visited to sympathise with some traders who lost their goods in a fire incident that occurred in the market on Monday, the governor noted he immediately cross-checked the figures in the report and realised there was a mix-up.
“When I saw that report, I knew something was wrong. I knew it could either be the units or the price. So, I called the Commissioner for Budget and Planning and asked him to check it out and call me back.
“He did and reported that it was neither the units nor the price that was wrong but the Excel. If you use Excel and the formula is not very right on a particular line, you’re bound to have a problem like that. It’s a mistake that has been corrected.
“I don’t think there’s anything to worry about. The overall numbers are correct and the figure of N1.5 billion was N150 million; two units of Hilux vans at N75 million each will give you N150 million, that’s the correct number,”
Otti clarified.
