By Ken Asinobi
A sociopolitical advocacy group, Rivers First Movement (RFM) has called for an independent investigation into how Rivers State money has been spent over the past 11 years.
The group made the demand on Monday during a world press conference in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Speaking on behalf of the movement, Director-General, Maobuye Nangi Obu, said all financial transactions carried out in the name of projects from May 29, 2015 to January 31, 2026 should be audited. He said the people of Rivers State deserve to know how public funds were used.
According to him, the audit would help clear doubts about government spending and restore public trust. He alleged that huge amounts of money meant for development may have been diverted through inflated or questionable projects.
The group also claimed that despite large budgets over the years, many schools and hospitals remain in poor condition while unemployment continues to rise. It said these conditions make it necessary to review how state resources have been managed.
RFM stated that the investigation should be carried out by an independent body to ensure fairness and transparency. The movement said the aim is not political witch-hunt but accountability and better governance.
The organisation urged Rivers residents, both indigenes and non-indigenes, to support the demand and join what it described as a peaceful effort to improve the state. It added that proper auditing of public funds would help prevent future misuse of resources and ensure that government projects truly benefit the people.
