Calabar – The State Agency for Control of AIDS (SACA) in Cross River has become a focal point of concern as the Budget Transparency and Accountability Initiative Nigeria (BTAN) raised questions about the absence of a capital budgetary allocation for the agency. The civil society organization contends that SACA, given the ongoing challenges posed by HIV/AIDS and the influx of Cameroonian refugees, should have a budget for capital expenditure NEGROIDHAVEN can report.
This observation comes in the wake of the scrutiny faced by the Cross River State 2024 Proposed Budget, labeled the “People First Budget.” BTAN presented its concerns during the 2024 Budget Stakeholders’ Forum at the Cross River State House of Assembly, where Governor Sen. Prince Bassey Otu had earlier presented the proposed budget amounting to N250.56 Billion (which the 10th Assembly jigged to over N290 billion).
While the governor’s commitment to budget transparency received commendation, BTAN outlined twelve preliminary observations about the 2024 appropriation law. Notably, concerns were raised about duplication, incomplete description of line items, and zero capital budget allocation to some key Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). The omission of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission from the budget for the third consecutive year and the persistence of physical cash transactions by MDAs were also highlighted.
