House Committee Issues 48 Hour Ultimatum to Rivers State Over N1.48 Trillion Budget

The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Oversight of Rivers State has raised questions over the N1.48 trillion 2025 Appropriation Bill presented by the Rivers State Government, demanding immediate clarification on several expenditure items.

The Committee, chaired by the House Leader, Rt. Hon. Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, CON, grilled the state’s delegation during a budget defence session held on Monday at the National Assembly in Abuja, issuing a 48-hour ultimatum for the submission of key financial documents.

In his opening remarks, Ihonvbere made clear the Committee’s duty to ensure transparency and accountability, stating, “We have thoroughly reviewed the budget proposal, and this session is essential to ensure transparency, accountability, and the sustainable development of Rivers State.”

Among the contentious allocations flagged by the lawmakers, were N24 billion for the installation of CCTV systems at the Rivers State Government House, N30 billion earmarked for gunboat procurement, and N23 billion listed under a contingency provision without detailed justification.

The Committee also questioned why the state government was funding projects constitutionally under the Federal Government’s purview, stressing that such expenditures required legal backing. “We want to ensure that we promote accountability and that the interests of the people, no matter how remote they are from the state capital, are protected,” Ihonvbere asserted. “Be rest assured that we are all on the same side in terms of getting Rivers working again.”

The 48-hour ultimatum compels the Rivers State Government to submit a detailed breakdown of the disputed expenditures, the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), records of federal allocations and internally generated revenue (IGR) from January to June 2025, and full disclosure on the management of local government funds.

Additionally, the Committee demanded documentary evidence of financial transfers to the state’s 23 Local Government Areas and all records related to an Airforce Base Agreement referenced during the budget presentation.

Responding on behalf of the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), Mr. Andrew Nweke, Special Adviser on Strategy and Policy, defended the allocations, explaining that many were inherited from previous administrations.

He stated that the N30 billion for gunboats was meant “to support security agencies combating insecurity in the state’s waterways,” while the N23 billion contingency fund was reserved for emergencies such as recurrent flooding. The N24 billion CCTV project, he argued, was necessary “to modernise surveillance infrastructure and provide robust security for the office of the Governor.”

Nweke assured the Committee that the requested documents would be provided promptly, but lawmakers remained firm in their oversight role.

The session comes months after the House of Representatives ratified the State of Emergency declared in Rivers State by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on March 18, 2025. The emergency rule, backed by constitutional provisions, empowered the National Assembly to assume legislative functions in the state following a political crisis that paralysed governance.

Reaffirming the legislature’s commitment to accountability, Ihonvbere commended Tinubu for his intervention in stabilising Rivers State but insisted that public funds must be judiciously managed. “The House reaffirms its unwavering commitment to ensuring accountability, safeguarding democratic institutions, and protecting the interests and welfare of the good people of Rivers State during this transitional period,” the Committee stated.