Lawrence Ndubeze, Awka
The Anambra State Government has announced that its 2024 budget recorded a 70 per cent performance rate.
The State Auditor-General, Akosa Okocha, disclosed this on Thursday during the Audit Forum and Citizens Accountability Dialogue on the 2024 State Financial Statements.
Okocha said the state performed creditably in 2024, recording a revenue surplus above the year’s budget projection, while the budget shortfall stood at 28.70 per cent.
According to him, the state overachieved its expected revenue for the year by ₦92,813,471,665.63, representing 33.21 per cent, while the sum of ₦117,721,974,562.61, or 28.70 per cent, was the gap between the actual expenditure of ₦292,410,250,696.39 and the budget projection of ₦410,132,225,259.00.
“Therefore, the state achieved a remarkable budget performance of over 70 per cent in the year 2024. The revenues earned were applied to critical areas of development, and the state performed creditably well during the period,” he said.
Providing further insights, Okocha revealed that a total of ₦750 million in expenses incurred by various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the 2024 fiscal year were yet to be fully accounted for.
He noted that the figure represents a significant improvement compared to the 2023 financial year, when unresolved audit queries amounted to ₦2.5 billion, attributing the progress to proactive measures adopted by his office.
“The Office of the Auditor-General provides the link that assures citizens of effective checks and balances, from budgeting and execution to accounting, documentation, auditing and follow-up.
“My office ensures that expectation gaps, lapses and other breaches are identified as they occur and promptly addressed, thereby reducing such breaches to the barest minimum.
“In the 2023 financial year, unresolved queries stood at about ₦2.5 billion, but this has reduced drastically to about ₦750 million in 2024 due to proactive measures put in place by my office. Some of the MDAs mentioned in the report have responded and submitted documentary evidence to clarify issues raised against them,” he explained.
Okocha commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo for the consistent release of funds to support the activities of the Auditor-General’s office and appealed for assistance towards the speedy completion of a new office complex.
“I believe our Solution Governor, who has a strong commitment to infrastructure development, will look in our direction in the coming year so that we can move into our new office building,” he said, adding that capacity building for staff was also being pursued to enhance their expertise and job performance.
He said the forum would equip MDAs with modern and emerging approaches to public sector financial management.
“Transparency, accountability and fiscal responsibility have always been our watchwords in Anambra State, leading to the state winning several accolades in public sector financial management from reputable rating organisations.
“This Audit Forum and Citizens Accountability Dialogue is part of our statutory duty to present to the public, whose funds the state government holds in trust, a report of our stewardship for the year ended 2024. It is an interactive session where citizens and other stakeholders engage public fund administrators on governance, fund management, revenue generation, challenges encountered and other observed issues,” Okocha stated.
At the event, Prof. Toochukwu Okafor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, delivered a lecture on enhancing transparency and accountability in public sector service delivery, with an overview of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) and the roles of accountants and auditors.
Similarly, Dr. Ekene Adokwe spoke on building robust financial systems as a panacea for good governance, highlighting the critical role of accountants and auditors in curbing corruption and improving service delivery.
