The House of Representatives reviewed the Rivers 2025 budget and flagged questionable allocations lacking transparency and legal support.
Committee chair Julius Ihonvbere raised concerns about N24 billion for CCTV and N30 billion for gunboats in Rivers 2025 budget.
He also questioned N23 billion contingency funding, asking for clear justification from the sole administrator during Monday’s budget defence.
Lawmakers criticised the Rivers 2025 budget for excluding a medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF), which is a statutory requirement.
Ihonvbere demanded details of local government transfers and Rivers State’s IGR for the last three months.
He said the committee must weigh revenue flows against budget deficits to evaluate project viability and financial sustainability.
The committee also queried funding for federal projects without reimbursement agreements between Rivers State and the federal government.
Ihonvbere told the administrator’s office to submit the requested documents within 48 hours for further budget evaluation.
Responding on behalf of Ibas, aide Andrew Nweke said most allocations were inherited by the current interim government.
He defended the CCTV allocation, saying it funds surveillance infrastructure for Rivers State Government House security enhancement.
Nweke said gunboats are necessary for boosting security patrols along volatile Rivers waterways plagued by rising criminal activities.
He also claimed the contingency reserve will help tackle emergencies like flooding, insecurity, and other unplanned occurrences.
Nweke promised to provide the financial documents and pledged cooperation with lawmakers to strengthen accountability across all ministries.
Lawmakers stressed that transparency is key to protecting citizens’ interests, especially in communities far from the state capital.
