By Comfort Olayinka
The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Oversight of Rivers State has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the state government, demanding comprehensive justification for questionable items in its proposed ₦1.48 trillion 2025 budget.
At a tense budget defence session held at the National Assembly on Monday, the Committee, chaired by House Leader, Rt. Hon. Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, CON, raised alarm over several “unclear and potentially unjustifiable” expenditures.
Top among the flagged allocations are:
₦30 billion for the procurement of gunboats
₦24 billion for CCTV installation at the Government House
₦23 billion placed under a contingency fund with scant details
Prof. Ihonvbere expressed concern over Rivers State funding projects that fall under the constitutional jurisdiction of the Federal Government without clear reimbursement agreements. “Expenditures must not only be legal but transparent and beneficial to the people, especially in a time of emergency governance,” he stated.
The Committee requested the immediate submission of:
A detailed breakdown of the highlighted expenditures;
Rivers’ Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF);
Records of federal allocations and internally generated revenue from January to June 2025;
Full disclosure of Local Government finances and transfer records;
Documentation on the Airforce Base Agreement mentioned during the budget review.
Responding on behalf of the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), Special Adviser Mr. Andrew Nweke defended the allocations, saying they were inherited and based on needs assessments. He cited security and flood emergencies as justification for the proposed spending.
The House Committee reiterated its oversight powers, citing constitutional provisions that allow the National Assembly to take charge during periods of state emergencies. The federal parliament had, on March 20, 2025, ratified the State of Emergency in Rivers following political unrest.
“We want to get Rivers working again,” Ihonvbere assured, adding that the inquiry was not political but aimed at ensuring fiscal discipline and protecting the people of Rivers State.
The Committee applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his “decisive leadership” in restoring calm in Rivers and emphasized that transparency would be the cornerstone of all emergency governance activities in the state.
