Akwa Ibom State has allocated ₦1 billion for purchasing and maintaining vehicles for lawmakers in its 2025 budget, while the healthcare sector received only ₦250 million in capital expenditure.
A review of the budget document shows that the government plans to procure 26 vehicles for House of Assembly members, alongside six vehicles for unit and departmental heads, which will cost an additional ₦324 million.
Another ₦90 million has been set aside for vehicles meant for staff handling committee work and sensitive duties, while a Prado Jeep for the Speaker will cost ₦78 million.
Despite these allocations, no amount was budgeted for the capital expenditure of the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development. The capital expenditure for the state’s secondary education board stands at ₦100 million, while technical schools will receive ₦200 million.
The Akwa Ibom State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency was allocated ₦100 million, despite data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showing that 64% of households in the state lack access to clean drinking water.
The Akwa Ibom Water Company Limited was allocated ₦80 million, raising concerns about access to potable water, especially in rural areas.
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According to the NBS multidimensional poverty index, 70% of households in Akwa Ibom lack access to sanitary facilities. This comes at a time when a Cholera outbreak was recently recorded in the state, leading to loss of lives.
The budget allocations have sparked concerns over prudence in the management of public funds, especially as state governments across the country face scrutiny over spending priorities.
