Lawmakers within the Home of Representatives have raised alarm over a number of questionable allocations within the ₦1.48 trillion 2025 Appropriation Invoice introduced by the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.).
Throughout a price range defence session in Abuja on Monday, June 30, the Chairman of the Home Advert hoc Committee on Rivers, Julius Ihonvbere, demanded explanations for a number of high-value provisions within the price range, together with ₦24 billion put aside for CCTV installations on the state authorities home.
“We’d like further particulars for these allocations,” Ihonvbere stated.
“We request particulars of state Internally Generated Income (IGR) within the final three months to allow us to know your {financial} flows in order that we will weigh them towards the deficit within the price range by way of financing it and finishing up a number of the initiatives.”
The committee additionally queried the proposed buy of gunboats valued at ₦30 billion and ₦23 billion marked for contingency reserves.
Ihonvbere harassed that the breakdowns and justifications for these figures have to be submitted inside 48 hours.
One other space of concern was the allocation of state assets to federal initiatives with out prior settlement with the Federal Authorities on potential reimbursements.
“We additionally want particulars of transfers to native governments, basically, how native authorities funds that come into the state are being managed in the mean time,” Ihonvbere added.
READ ALSO: Senate Approves ₦1.485tn Rivers 2025 Funds
He reiterated the Home’s dedication to transparency and accountability.
“These paperwork now we have requested should attain us inside 48 hours. Relaxation assured that we’re all on the identical aspect by way of getting Rivers working once more,” he stated.
“We wish to guarantee that we are going to promote loads of accountability and make sure that the curiosity of the folks themselves, regardless of how distant they’re from the state capital, are protected.”
Representing the Sole Administrator on the session, Andrew Nweke, Senior Particular Assistant on Technique and Coverage, stated lots of the controversial allocations had been inherited from earlier price range drafts.
He defined that the ₦30 billion put aside for gunboats was to assist regulation enforcement efforts alongside the state’s troubled waterways.
“The price range was a mirrored image of the curiosity of Rivers folks because it was designed in keeping with the wants evaluation carried out by the implementation businesses,” Nweke stated.
The lawmakers additionally applauded President Bola Tinubu for his position in stabilising the political local weather in Rivers State following tensions between the suspended govt and the legislature.
