The House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on the political crisis in Rivers State has given the state’s Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), a 48-hour ultimatum to provide a detailed breakdown of key items in the 2025 N1.48 trillion appropriation bill.
Chairman of the committee and House Majority Leader, Rep. Julius Ihonvbere, raised concerns during a budget defence session in Abuja over several allocations, notably the N24 billion earmarked for CCTV installation at the Rivers State Government House, which he described as excessive and requiring justification.
The committee also questioned the N30 billion allocation for gunboats intended to support security operations on the state’s waterways, and the N23 billion set aside as contingency reserves to address flooding and other emergencies.
Ihonvbere further demanded submission of the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), a statutory document that should precede the budget presentation, as well as details of the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for the past three months to assess financial capacity relative to the budget deficit and proposed projects.
The committee requested a report on transfers to local governments and the management of local council funds, emphasizing accountability and protection of the interests of all Rivers residents.
Responding on behalf of the Sole Administrator, Senior Special Assistant on Strategy and Policy, Andrew Nweke, explained that much of the budget framework was inherited from previous administrations and reflects the priorities identified through needs assessments by implementing agencies.
Nweke defended the N30 billion for gunboats as necessary for combating insecurity on waterways, and justified the contingency fund due to the state’s vulnerability to floods and emergencies. He described the N24 billion CCTV allocation as essential for securing the Governor’s Office with modern surveillance technology.
The committee assured that requested documents would be submitted promptly to facilitate legislative review. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was commended for his intervention in resolving political tensions in the state, which the committee described as timely and stabilizing.
