By Joy Odor
The Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, on Thursday defended the State of ₦1.4 trillion 2025 before the Senate’s Ad-hoc Committee on Oversight of Emergency Rule.
Ibas explained that the budget, though not perfect due to time constraints, aligns with the State’s development plan and focuses on revenue mobilization, infrastructure, human capital, and economic growth.
He pointed out that the budget has challenges such as some state officials withheld critical financial records, hindering a complete capture of expenditures incurred in the first quarter of 2025.
– *Budget Focus:* The budget is people-centered, aiming to deliver socioeconomic benefits to the people of Rivers State.
Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, in his remark, emphasized that emergency rule is not a replacement for democratic governance but a measure to ensure peace and security.
He stressed the committee’s resolve to track resource utilization and ensure transparency and accountability.
According to him, the Committee’s Mandate are:
– *Oversight:* The committee will continuously monitor the budget’s execution, ensuring that allocated resources are utilized effectively.
– *Accountability:* The committee will assess the budget’s impact on the lives of Rivers State residents, focusing on tangible development outcomes
“As representatives of the people, we are not only tasked with evaluating figures, but also with ensuring the faithful budget execution. It is our mandate to track how allocated resources are utilised project-by-project, sector-by-sector to guarantee transparency and uphold accountability in the use of public funds.
“This means that our engagement today on the Rivers State 2025 Appropriation Bill does not end here .We shall, in the coming months, assess the performance of the budget by closely monitoring disbursements, execution timelines, and delivery outcomes.
“Our objective is to ensure that approved funds translate into meaningful development and that deviations or delays are addressed promptly in the overriding public interest.
“Beyond the numbers, we must also evaluate the real world impact of this budget on the everyday lives of the people of Rivers State. In times of political uncertainty and emergency governance, government actions must not only be lawful, but also people-centered.
“We must ask: will this budget deliver proven roads, healthcare, education, safety, and livelihoods for the people? This, ultimately, is how we build trust in government and public institutions like ours.
“When citizens can feel the dividends of democracy when allocations on paper become tangible solutions on the ground. Their faith in governance is renewed. It is this trust we must work to restore and strengthen through our recommendations and sustained legislative vigilance,” the chairman of the ad-hoc committee explained” he noted.
