Business
Reps query N24bn CCTV project in Rivers budget, issue 48-hour ultimatum for full details
The House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee investigating the political crisis in Rivers State has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the state’s Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), to provide detailed explanations for several questionable allocations in the 2025 appropriation bill totaling N1.48 trillion.
Chairman of the committee and House Majority Leader, Rep. Julius Ihonvbere (APC-Edo), gave the directive on Monday during a budget defence session held in Abuja.
According to Ihonvbere, the committee identified “glaring inconsistencies” and suspect provisions in the budget, with particular concern raised over the N24 billion allocated for the installation of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) systems at the Rivers State Government House.
“The amount is excessive and must be justified. We demand a full item-by-item breakdown,” Ihonvbere said, while also questioning an additional N30 billion earmarked for the purchase of gunboats and N23 billion set aside as contingency reserves.
He directed the administration to submit the state’s Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), which should have preceded the budget proposal, along with details of the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) over the last three months. These, he said, are necessary to evaluate the state’s fiscal strength and its ability to fund proposed projects without overstretching its finances.
The committee also requested a detailed report on financial transfers to local government areas, including how funds allocated to councils are being utilised. Ihonvbere stressed that the documents must be submitted within 48 hours, adding that the committee was committed to transparency and to protecting the interests of the people of Rivers State.
He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his role in easing political tensions in the state, praising his intervention in the dispute between the suspended executive and legislature as timely and stabilising.
Responding on behalf of the Sole Administrator, the Senior Special Assistant on Strategy and Policy, Mr. Andrew Nweke, explained that much of the 2025 budget framework was inherited from the previous administration.
Nweke said the allocations were informed by needs assessments carried out by relevant ministries and agencies, and reflect the pressing priorities of the state’s residents.
Defending the N30 billion budgeted for gunboats, he said it was aimed at enhancing security along the state’s waterways, which are often plagued by criminal activities including piracy and oil theft.
He also justified the N23 billion contingency vote, citing Rivers’ susceptibility to natural disasters such as flooding, and the need for rapid emergency response capacity.
On the controversial N24 billion CCTV project, Nweke argued that the Office of the Governor must be equipped with advanced surveillance and security technology due to its sensitive nature and high-profile status.
He assured the lawmakers that all requested documents would be submitted within the deadline to facilitate the committee’s review and promote constructive oversight.