A Civil Society Organization whose work is to promote Fiscal and Ecological Justice in the Niger Delta has faulted Governor Otu’s third quarter budget assigning 25 percent of the total budget to his Chief of Staff’s Office.
A total of # 5.77billion out of the total budget of #23.21billion was assigned to the office of the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Emmanuel Ironbar and this has attracted reactions, which the Civil Society Organization described as a red flag and contrary to the Governor’s campaign promise to reduce cost of governance.
In a statement signed by Faith Paulinus, the program officer Fiscal Reforms and Anti- Corruption of the Organization, it was noted that while office of the Chief of Staff which is personal to the Governor received the sum of #5.77billion other key sectors of the State including Health, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Humanity and Social welfare had no capital release.
Following this move, the Organization has demanded for a breakdown of the specific capital projects executed by the office of the Chief of Staff to Governor Otu.
Also contained in the statement, the Organization demand to know why nothing was released to the State House of Assembly’s personnel, overhead and capital expenditure and why the Ministry of Works responsible for other public works and roads received only #90.29million, Educational sector received #13.7million and the entire Social sector received #1.46 billion.
