The Centre for Human Rights Advocacy and Wholesome Society (CEHRAWS) has called on the Abia State Government to provide clearer explanations for what it described as recurring inconsistencies in the state’s official financial documents, warning that repeated errors risk eroding public confidence in government accountability.
The group’s reaction follows the government’s recent clarification that the ₦1.003 billion captured in the 2025 Accountant-General’s Report was used to procure 12 Toyota Hilux vehicles, and not two as earlier reported, explaining that the discrepancy resulted from the omission of the digit “1”.
In a statement signed on Thursday by its Executive Director, Okoye Chuka Peter, CEHRAWS acknowledged the government’s willingness to correct the record but argued that the latest explanation mirrors an earlier controversy involving the 2026 Appropriation Document, where a ₦250 million allocation reportedly meant for a photocopier was later explained as a formatting error, with the actual provision said to be ₦12 million.
According to the organisation, the recurrence of such discrepancies raises concerns about the integrity of the state’s financial documentation and the effectiveness of internal review processes.
“How do such significant discrepancies, both in words and figures, pass through the various stages of preparation, review, legislative scrutiny and approval of critical public financial documents?” the statement queried.
CEHRAWS stressed that budgets and Accountant-General’s reports are not ordinary publications but statutory accountability instruments relied upon by citizens, lawmakers, auditors and other stakeholders in monitoring public expenditure.
The organisation referenced Sections 125, 128 and 129 of the 1999 Constitution, noting that public accounts are subject to audit while state assemblies have constitutional powers to scrutinise public spending and investigate inefficiency, waste and other irregularities.
While insisting it was not accusing Governor Alex Otti or any government official of fraud, the group argued that repeated errors involving public finances should not be dismissed as mere typographical or formatting mistakes.
“It is increasingly difficult to understand how such errors could repeatedly occur under an administration that prides itself on financial discipline and transparency without stronger internal controls,” CEHRAWS said.
The organisation called on the state government to publish procurement and payment documents relating to the 12 Hilux vehicles, including approvals, procurement records, contracts, invoices, unit prices, delivery and inspection records, as well as evidence of vehicle registration.
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It also urged the Abia State House of Assembly, the State Auditor-General and other oversight institutions to independently reconcile the transaction and determine how the discrepancy arose.
CEHRAWS further pointed to what it described as another inconsistency in the government’s clarification, noting that the figures provided- ₦177.75 million, ₦412.67 million and ₦412.67 million, total ₦1,003,090,000, leaving a ₦1,350 difference from the officially stated total of ₦1,003,091,350.
The organisation urged the government to clarify the variance promptly, saying even minor accounting discrepancies deserve explanation in official financial records.
It also cautioned against portraying civil society organisations that question public expenditure as political opponents.
“Public scrutiny is not opposition; it is a fundamental component of democracy.
“While governments are not expected to be infallible, they are expected to be accountable, transparent and verifiable. Repeated errors in critical financial documents require a broader review of the state’s financial control systems and stronger oversight mechanisms,” the group added.
