The House of Representatives yesterday passed the N1.48 trillion Rivers State appropriation bill for the 2025 fiscal year, slashing N35 billion from allocations for CCTV installations, gunboat purchases, and surveillance contracts.
At a plenary session presided over by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, the House considered and adopted the report of its Ad-Hoc Committee on Rivers State, chaired by Majority Leader Julius Ihonvbere (APC, Edo), before reading the bill for the third time and passing it into law.
Controversial allocations redirected
Presenting the committee’s report, Ihonvbere explained that over N30 billion was redirected from controversial security-related votes to other priority projects. He stressed that the adjustments were aimed at ensuring prudent and transparent use of public resources.
According to the approved budget breakdown, N256.42 billion was allocated for personnel costs, N162.58 billion for overhead, and N1.06 trillion for capital expenditure for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025.
The move followed the committee’s earlier concerns over questionable allocations, including N24 billion earmarked for CCTV at Government House and N30 billion for gunboats, which were queried during budget defence sessions.
Return to democratic governance
Stakeholders and political observers in Rivers State have hailed the passage of the 2025 budget as a step towards restoring democratic governance in the state. They noted that the approval by the federal lawmakers has removed obstacles that previously strained relations between the executive and legislative arms of government.
The development comes as the six-month suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara is expected to end soon, paving the way for smoother governance in the oil-rich state.
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