Rivers Administrator Ibok-Ete Ibas directs LGs to submit two-year financial report

Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), has directed the Heads of Local Government Administration (HLGAs) in the 23 local government areas to submit reports detailing the activities of their councils over the past two years.

The directive, which has reportedly unsettled the HLGAs, was issued through a letter from Dame Dr. Itong Awani, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government Affairs.

“His Excellency, the Sole Administrator of Rivers State has directed that all Heads of Local Government Administration should submit the report of their councils to the office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government Affairs,” the letter stated.

“I am also to inform you that all submissions using the format listed below should reach the office of the undersigned on or before Wednesday, 26th March, 2025, for onward transmission to the office of the Sole Administrator, Government House, Port Harcourt, for further necessary action.”

The letter specified that the reports should include an introduction, the functions of the council, the number of staff members listed on the nominal roll categorized by cadre, sources of revenue generation, and the councils’ activities over the past two years, including ongoing and completed projects.

The directive also required the HLGAs to highlight challenges faced by their local governments and provide recommendations on how these issues could be managed.

“The letter also tasked the HLGAs to note the challenges of the local governments as well as make recommendations to the Administrator on how those issues can be managed, tasking the LGA heads to treat as urgent and keep to the timeline of submission,” the letter added.

The instruction comes amid heightened political tension in Rivers State following the Supreme Court’s ruling that invalidated the 2024 local government elections. The court’s decision had prompted suspended Governor Siminialayi Fubara to order the HLGAs to take over council administration.