The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Oversight of Rivers State has summoned the state’s Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd), to clarify several questionable allocations in the proposed ₦1.48 trillion 2025 budget.
During a budget defence session held at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, committee members raised concerns over specific budget items they deemed excessive or lacking proper justification.
Chairman of the Committee and House Majority Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, said the lawmakers had identified several red flags in the budget, including:
- ₦24 billion for the installation of CCTV systems at the Rivers State Government House
- ₦30 billion for the procurement of gunboats
- ₦23 billion listed as a contingency provision without detailed explanation
In a statement issued Monday night by House spokesperson Akin Rotimi, the Committee also criticised the Rivers State Government’s decision to finance projects under the constitutional jurisdiction of the Federal Government, allegedly without any prior agreement or assurance of reimbursement.
Prof. Ihonvbere stressed the need for transparency and legal backing in such financial commitments, warning that unverified spending could undermine fiscal responsibility.
The Committee has given the state government a 48-hour deadline to provide:
- A detailed breakdown and justification for the highlighted budget items
- A copy of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), which is legally required prior to budget submissions
- Full disclosure on the management of local government funds, including administrative and legal frameworks
- Documentation of financial transfers to the 23 local government areas
- All records related to the Air Force Base Agreement referenced during the budget presentation
“Our duty is to uphold accountability and protect the interests of all citizens, regardless of their location in the state,” Ihonvbere stated. “We’re committed to ensuring public funds are used judiciously and in accordance with the law.”
Responding on behalf of the Sole Administrator, the Special Adviser on Strategy and Policy, Andrew Nweke, explained that most of the projects were inherited and based on needs assessments by relevant agencies.
According to Nweke:
- The ₦30 billion for gunboats is aimed at bolstering security operations in the state’s waterways
- The ₦23 billion contingency fund is intended to cover emergencies such as flooding and other unforeseen events
- The ₦24 billion CCTV project is part of a broader plan to modernise security infrastructure around the Governor’s Office
The exchange underscores growing scrutiny over how public funds are allocated and managed at the state level, particularly in light of ongoing national economic challenges.
