The Abia State Government has dismissed widespread claims that it approved the sum of N210 million for the purchase of a single photocopying machine for its Lagos Liaison Office, describing the report as a misunderstanding caused by a clerical error in the 2026 Appropriation Law.
The clarification followed public outrage and intense criticism on social media after excerpts from the state’s 2026 budget appeared to show that N210 million had been allocated for the procurement of one Sharp photocopier, raising concerns about fiscal recklessness and lack of accountability.
Reacting to the development, the Abia State Ministry of Budget and Planning said the controversy stemmed from a “technical formatting error” that occurred during the final compilation and harmonisation of the budget document.
According to the ministry, the error resulted in a misalignment between project descriptions and their corresponding budgetary figures in a section of the appropriation law.
In a statement released to address the issue, the ministry explained that the figure of N210,831,142 did not in any way relate to the purchase of office equipment. Rather, the amount was appropriated for the rehabilitation and repair of residential buildings and staff quarters at the state’s Lagos Liaison Office.
It further clarified that the actual sum approved for office equipment, including the procurement of one Sharp photocopier and other sundry office items, was N12 million, not N210 million as widely reported.
“The controversy arose due to a technical formatting error during the final compilation of the budget, which led to the misplacement of figures against project descriptions in that section of the document,” the ministry said.
The government stressed that the error was purely administrative and unintentional, adding that it has since taken steps to correct the affected portion of the budget to prevent further misinterpretation.
The incident had sparked public debate on government spending priorities, with many Nigerians questioning how such a large sum could be earmarked for a single office machine at a time of economic hardship. Critics also called for greater transparency and more rigorous review processes in the preparation of public financial documents.
Responding to these concerns, the ministry reaffirmed the Abia State Government’s commitment to prudent financial management, transparency, and responsible use of public funds, urging citizens to verify information from official sources before drawing conclusions.
It also appealed to the public and the media to disregard claims suggesting that the state government approved an inflated budget for a photocopier, insisting that the approved figures clearly show otherwise.