The Auditor-General of Anambra State, Mr Okocha Akosa, has sounded a serious alarm concerning public finances, disclosing that a staggering N750 million from the 2024 fiscal year remains unaccounted for by various state ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
A Troubling Disclosure at the Audit Forum
Mr Akosa made this troubling revelation during the 2025 Audit Forum and Citizens Accountability Dialogue held in Awka on 19 December 2025. He presented a detailed account of financial discrepancies, noting that while the situation was severe, it marked a significant improvement from the previous year. According to his report, the total value of unresolved audit queries for the 2023 financial year stood at a colossal N2.5 billion.
He attributed the drastic reduction to the proactive measures implemented by his office since he assumed the role. "My office ensures that expectation gaps, lapses and other breaches are identified as they occur and are rectified," Akosa stated. He emphasized that these observed breaches are being reduced to the barest minimum, leading to the improved figures seen in the 2024 accounts.
Experts Decry Poor Revenue Performance and Governance Lapses
The forum also featured stark analyses from financial experts who painted a grim picture of the state's revenue generation and governance structures. A Principal Consulting Accountant, Mr Ademola Okeleye, presented a graphical analysis of the 2024 revenue, showing most income streams performed dismally.
For instance, while the state anticipated N29,441,744,000 from Tax receipts, it only realized N28,199,899,033, achieving a mere 4.22% of its target. Okeleye described a "literally scandalous" situation where none of the 51 statutory administrative subheads in the 2024 appropriation, including the Governor's office, achieved an aggregate performance of about 65%.
He highlighted the Office of the Accountant General as a prime example, which recovered only N120,326,747 out of a proposed N710,000,000, representing a paltry 16.95%. "With this awful scenario, how does anyone expect the relevant workers to do well or put in their best?" he questioned.
Calls for Systemic Reform and Citizen Involvement
Other speakers at the event called for deep systemic changes. Professor Tochukwu Okafor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University lamented that despite a law existing since 2020 for establishing Directors of Audit in government units, it has not been implemented. She noted that many government offices operate without an internal auditor and revealed that the State’s Accountant General is also doubling as the Permanent Secretary.
Dr Adokwe Ekene of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in a presentation titled "Robust Financial System, A Panacea for Good Governance," identified good governance as the most critical factor for development. He decried the culture of information hoarding among civil servants, stating that transparency is essential to ending corruption.
In his concluding remarks, consultant Ademola Okeleye urged for intensified efforts to resolve all outstanding 2024 audit queries to restore public trust. He advocated for increased citizen involvement in decision-making, regular tax compliance, free access to information, and robust feedback mechanisms. These steps, he argued, are vital to promote transparency, reduce corruption, and foster active citizenship and community engagement in Anambra State.
