A review of Anambra State’s budget performance documents by SaharaReporters has revealed that Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration spent N180 million in September 2023 on the capacity development of 30 state lawmakers.
This amounts to N6 million per lawmaker, sparking concerns about the allocation of the state’s scarce resources.
The N180 million expenditure surpasses the N141 million spent on building a Science and Technology Innovation Center in Nnewi.
It also exceeds the N174.2 million allocated for road asphalting in the northern senatorial zone, and the N178.8 million spent on similar works in the southern senatorial region of the state.
Further comparisons show that the amount used for lawmakers’ capacity building is more than double the N70 million spent on pothole maintenance in Anambra Central, and far exceeds the N35.2 million for road repairs in Anambra North.
According to the report, the N180 million could have funded six solar-powered boreholes at a rate of N33 million each.
The revelations have raised questions about the state’s budget priorities and the prudence of its resource management, with critics calling for greater scrutiny and accountability.
