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The Abia State Government has said it spent over N1 billion on the purchase of 12 Toyota Hilux vehicles, not two, attributing the error to a “quantity-entry mistake” in its published Accountant-General’s Report.
Commissioner for Information Prince Okey Kanu said in a statement on Wednesday that the discrepancy arose from a typographical error in the report.
“Following a review of the underlying payment records and supporting procurement documents, the Office of the Accountant-General has confirmed that the expenditure of approximately ₦1,003,091,350.00 relates to the procurement of Twelve Toyota Hilux vehicles – not two,” Kanu said.
The commissioner said the figure “2” that appeared on page 401 of the consolidated schedule resulted from the omission of the digit “1” and did not reflect the actual number of vehicles purchased.
“The figure ‘2’ that appeared on page 401 of the consolidated schedule resulted from the omission of the digit ‘1’. It did not reflect the actual number of vehicles purchased,” he noted.
The verified payment schedule shows the purchase of 12 vehicles from two suppliers: Ubale Services Enterprises (2 units at N177.75 million) and Globe Motors Holdings Ltd (10 units at N825.34 million), bringing the total to N1,003,091,350.
Kanu said, “The suppliers listed above are identifiable corporate entities. The number, specifications and value of the vehicles supplied can be independently verified from the companies and from the appropriate government records.”
Kanu said Governor Alex Otti had always maintained that his government was not above mistakes and would not hesitate to admit any error and make corrections promptly.
“In line with this commitment to open government, the identified reporting error will be formally corrected, with an explanatory note issued to ensure that the public record accurately reflects the transaction,” he said.
The government appreciated Abians and members of the public for their active scrutiny of the state’s publications, saying it valued their feedback.
“This administration remains committed to transparency, accountability and the responsible management of public resources. We will continue to publish our financial records and clarify issues promptly whenever the need arises.”
