The House of Representatives ad-hoc committee on Rivers State has raised concerns over the allocation of ₦24 billion for the installation of CCTV cameras at the Rivers State Government House in the state’s proposed 2025 budget.
The committee, chaired by Julius Ihonvbere, issued a 48-hour deadline to Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), the Sole Administrator of the state, to provide a comprehensive breakdown of the ₦1.48 trillion appropriation bill, including detailed explanations for the multi-billion naira security surveillance plan.
Speaking during the budget defence session in Abuja on Monday, Ihonvbere said the panel had identified multiple grey areas in the budget proposal submitted by the state’s interim leadership.
Apart from the CCTV expenditure, the lawmakers also demanded justification for ₦30 billion earmarked for the purchase of gun boats and ₦23 billion set aside for contingency reserves.
The committee insisted that the state’s Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) must be submitted alongside other documents. Ihonvbere noted that the MTEF is a statutory requirement that should guide the formulation of any state budget.
“We need additional details for these allocations. We also request the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) data for the past three months to compare it with the projected deficit and spending plans,” Ihonvbere said.
The committee further directed the Rivers State administration to provide records of transfers to local governments, highlighting concerns over how local council funds are currently managed.
Earlier, Andrew Nweke, Senior Special Assistant on Strategy and Policy, who represented the Sole Administrator, said the current budget structure was largely inherited.
Nweke defended the ₦24 billion CCTV allocation, describing it as necessary to secure the office of the Governor and modernise surveillance within the government house.
He added that the ₦30 billion budgeted for gun boats would help tackle insecurity on waterways while the ₦23 billion contingency reserve would support emergency response efforts against flooding and other natural challenges that frequently impact the state.
Nweke assured lawmakers that all requested documents would be provided within the stipulated timeframe to aid the legislative process and address any pending concerns.
The committee maintained that the review is part of efforts to strengthen accountability and ensure that budgetary spending aligns with the interests of Rivers residents.
