Rivers N1.48trn Budget Under Scrutiny as Reps Demand Expenditure Breakdown
The House of Representatives’ Ad hoc Committee on Rivers State is on the Rivers ₦1.48trn budget scrutiny. It has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the state’s Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd.). The committee told him to submit a breakdown of major items in the 2025 ₦1.48 trillion Appropriation Bill
The Chairman of the committee, Rep. Julius Ihonvbere (APC-Edo), issued the ultimatum on Monday at the budget defence session in Abuja.
Ihonvbere stated that the committee reviewed the sole administrator’s budget and raised several issues.
The Rivers Committee Chairman insisted on the submission of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) by the administrator. He said it is a mandatory prerequisite for the budget.
Lawmakers Demand Justification for Key Allocations and IGR Breakdown
Ihonvbere, who is also the Majority Leader of the House, queried the allocation of ₦24 billion for the installation of CCTV cameras at the state government house. He demanded a detailed breakdown of the expenditure.
He also sought clarification on the allocation of ₦30 billion for the purchase of gunboats. The Committee Chairman requested justification for that sum and the ₦23 billion earmarked for contingency reserves.
The Committee Chairman said the committee observed that state funds were allocated to existing federal projects. However, he noted that there was no refund agreement with the Federal Government for those projects. Additionally, he added that the committee raised concerns over this and other related issues.
“We request details of state Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in the last three months to enable us know your financial flows so that we can weigh it against the deficit in the budget in terms of financing it and carrying out some of the projects.” Ihonvbere said, making it clear that the committee required additional details to justify the allocations.
“We also need details of transfers to local governments, essentially how local government funds that come into the state are being managed at the moment.
“Those documents we have requested for must reach us within 48 hours; be rest assured that we are all on the same side in terms of getting rivers working again.
“We want to ensure that we will promote a lot of accountability and ensure that the interest of the people themselves, no matter how remote they are from the state capital, are protected,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ihonvbere commended President Bola Tinubu for his intervention in the Rivers crisis. This move, he said, restored peace between the suspended Executive and Legislature in the state.
Sole Administrator Defends Allocations for Security, Surveillance, and Emergencies
Earlier, Ibas was represented by the Senior Special Assistant on Strategy and Policy, Mr. Andrew Nweke. He explained that the administration inherited many of the items in the budget.
According to the Sole Administrator’s representative, the budget reflects the interests of Rivers people, as the implementation agencies designed it based on needs assessment.
Furthermore, Nweke noted that Rivers State faces unique security challenges and said the ₦30 billion earmarked for gunboats would support security agencies in combating insecurity along the waterways.
In addition, he said Rivers State frequently experiences floods, insecurity, and other unforeseen events. He explained that the ₦23 billion contingency fund would help address such challenges.
Nweke described the Governor’s office as one of honour and deserves proper protection. He explained that the ₦24 billion allocation for CCTV was to ensure modern security surveillance, among other needs.
He said the additional documents required by the committee would be made available to facilitate a smooth legislative process.