Reps query ₦24bn CCTV allocation in Rivers budget, issue 48-hour ultimatum

Summary

• House of Representatives demands breakdown of ₦24bn CCTV allocation and other major budget items
• Rivers State Sole Administrator given 48 hours to provide MTEF, IGR data, and other financial documents
• Lawmakers raise concerns over transparency, funding of federal projects, and use of contingency funds

Abuja, Nigeria – The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Rivers State has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the state’s Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), to provide detailed explanations and documentation for several controversial allocations in the state’s proposed ₦1.48 trillion 2025 budget, including a ₦24 billion line item for CCTV installation at the Government House.

During a budget defence session held in Abuja on Monday, 30 June 2025, the committee chairman and House Majority Leader, Rep. Julius Ihonvbere (APC, Edo), expressed deep concern over the lack of transparency in the budget proposal. He stated that the committee had thoroughly reviewed the bill and flagged several line items for lacking justification.

Chief among the contentious allocations are: ₦24 billion for CCTV installations at the Government House, ₦30 billion for the purchase of gunboats to bolster security on waterways, and ₦23 billion for contingency reserves, said to cover emergencies like floods and insecurity.

Rep. Ihonvbere demanded that the Sole Administrator submit a detailed breakdown of these allocations within 48 hours, along with the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), which is legally required to precede any budget proposal. He also requested a three-month record of the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and documentation on how funds allocated to local governments are currently being managed.

“We need additional details for those allocations,” Ihonvbere said. “This will help us weigh the budget deficit against the financial flows and ensure the projects can be implemented responsibly. We also observed questionable allocations to federal projects, for which there is no agreement with the Federal Government regarding refunds. That raises concerns.”

He added, “We are all on the same side in trying to get Rivers working again. This exercise is about promoting accountability and ensuring the interests of every citizen, no matter how remote their location, are protected.”

Commending President Bola Tinubu for his role in restoring peace between the suspended executive and legislature in the state, Ihonvbere said the National Assembly’s goal is not confrontation, but constructive oversight.

Responding on behalf of the Sole Administrator, Senior Special Assistant on Strategy and Policy, Andrew Nweke, defended the budget’s priorities. He said the administration had inherited much of the budget structure and insisted the allocations were based on a needs assessment carried out by implementation agencies.

On the ₦30 billion earmarked for gunboats, Nweke explained that it was a necessary security measure to support military and law enforcement efforts on the state’s waterways. He added that the ₦23 billion contingency fund was designed to address recurring natural disasters such as flooding, as well as unexpected security challenges.

Regarding the CCTV expenditure, Nweke maintained that the Office of the Governor is a place of “honour and strategic importance,” which necessitates the installation of modern surveillance systems to enhance security.

He assured the committee that all requested documents, including the MTEF and financial records, would be submitted promptly to facilitate the legislative process.

The ₦1.48 trillion 2025 budget for Rivers State, passed by the Senate on 25 June amid ongoing emergency rule, continues to generate public debate. Critics, including lawmakers and social media users, have questioned the scale of spending on security-related items and the apparent prioritisation of the Government House over broader infrastructure and public welfare projects.

While the House committee awaits the administrator’s full response by 2 July, the controversy surrounding the budget has again placed a spotlight on fiscal transparency and accountability in governance.