A non-governmental organization, the Enugu Good Governance Group (E-3G), has extended its congratulations to Governor Peter Mbah’s administration for being recognized as the most financially prudent among the 36 state governments in the first quarter of 2024.
In a statement released by the National Coordinator, Odinaka Okechukwu, the group highlighted a report from the Open Nigerian State, a website supported by BudgIT, which revealed that the Mbah administration had the lowest recurrent expenses compared to other states in the initial three months of 2024. This report further solidified the perception that the governor’s leadership was driven by a genuine commitment to public service.
Previous data based on the budget implementation report of states indicated that while Benue, Imo, Niger, Rivers, Sokoto, and Yobe states lacked data, the remaining 30 state governments collectively spent N986.64 billion on recurrent expenditures, encompassing salaries, allowances, travel expenses, and utilities, among other items, during the first quarter of 2024.
On a national scale, Lagos State incurred the highest recurrent expenses at N189.62 billion, followed by Delta State at N68.68 billion. Within the South East region, Ebonyi State had the highest recurrent expenses at N14.95 billion, trailed by Abia State at N10.92 billion and Anambra State at N9.91 billion. Enugu State reported the lowest recurrent expenditures at N7.51 billion, both within the region and nationwide, while Imo State had no available data.
In response to these findings, E-3G remarked, “This serves as a testament to the exceptional fiscal discipline exhibited by Governor Mbah’s administration and demonstrates that the principles of accountability, transparency, and traceability, which he advocated for in managing public funds, were not simply rhetoric from his electoral campaign.”
With a recorded N107.2 billion in recurrent expenditures, constituting approximately 21 percent of Enugu’s N521.5 billion 2024 budget, and a significant N414.3 billion, or 79 percent of the budget, allocated to capital projects, Governor Mbah has unequivocally shown his dedication to challenging the existing norms to elevate the state in all aspects.
Furthermore, the governor’s commitment to engaging with citizens was lauded. In addition to numerous town hall meetings and media interactions, Mbah, on Thursday, May 30, 2024, engaged with citizens on X platform, dedicating two full hours to interact primarily with the younger generation regarding his government’s policies, initiatives, and projects.
E-3G urged Governor Mbah to persist in his prudent approach and prioritize the welfare of the people above personal interests.
