Cross Rivers Spends Nearly 50% Of Internally Generated Revenue On Vehicles In First 9 Months Of 2024

A SaharaReporters’ review of the Cross Rivers state budget performance document as of the third quarter of 2024, has shown that the state spent N15.1 billion to purchase SUVs.

The expenditure means that the state spent 46.6% of its internally generated revenue in the first nine months of 2024 on buying vehicles. During the period, the state generated N32.4 billion internally as revenue.

Details show that 30 SUVs – Hyundai and Toyota Prado vehicles – for ‘political and general’ had a budget of N5.9 billion. In the first nine months of 2024, the state already spent N5.5 billion on same purpose.

During that period, the state budgeted to spend N4.6 billion on 50 Hyundai, Toyota Prado vehicles for MDAs.

However as of the first nine months of 2024, it overshot the budgeted amount by N5 billion, with N9.6 billion already spent for the purpose.

A further review shows that by the fourth quarter of 2023, representing January to December, Cross Rivers state had spent N2.8 billion on Hyundai SUVs and Toyota Prado.

In Q4 2023 alone, the government spent N1.2 billion (N665 million on 30 SUVs, Prado, Hyundai) and another N546 million spent on what was described as ‘50 SUVs, Prado.’

Data review shows that under the office of the Chief of Staff of the state, a sum of N3 billion was budgeted for the purchase of 30 SUVs – Hyundai and Toyota Prado – for a purpose tagged as ‘political and general’. At the end of the year, the state spent N1.7 billion for that purpose.

Another sum of N2 billion was budgeted for 50 Toyota Prado and Hyundai vehicles for MDAs, and as of the end of the year, N1.1 billion was spent, totalling N2.8 billion.

Further review shows that while the state budgeted a combined sum of N15 billion for vehicles, nothing was spent on the construction/provision of water facilities.

Also, nothing was spent on the construction and provision of hospitals/health centres and the construction/provision of public schools.

The state's science and technology ministry received zero naira in capital expenditure, while the ministry of water resources also reported zero naira spent on capital projects.

Only N2 billion was spent on the education ministry in capital expenditure in the first nine months of 2024 by the state, based on the budget performance report.