Rivers Assembly: Issues PAMO VC Arrest Warrant Amid N29bn Probe

• The Rivers State House of Assembly ordered the arrest of the Vice-Chancellor of PAMO University of Medical Sciences.
• The arrest warrant was issued due to the Vice-Chancellor's failure to appear before an Ad Hoc Committee investigating scholarship funds.
• The probe revealed that PAMO University received over N29 billion in state scholarship funds, but only N5 billion was utilized, with no corresponding student enrollment.
• The Assembly also recommended that the state government recover all unaccounted funds from the university and deposit them into the Consolidated Revenue Account.
• Speaker Martin Amaewhule emphasized the Assembly's constitutional authority and commitment to public funds accountability.

This case powerfully underscores the extensive oversight capabilities of the Rivers State House of Assembly powers, particularly in ensuring Nigeria public funds accountability.

The Rivers State House of Assembly has issued an arrest warrant for the Vice-Chancellor of PAMO University of Medical Sciences in Port Harcourt. This significant directive, made during a plenary session on Friday, stems from the Vice-Chancellor's repeated failure to appear before an Ad Hoc House Committee investigating substantial scholarship funds disbursed to the institution by the state government. The legislative body had previously extended the deadline for the Vice-Chancellor's appearance to Thursday, September 24, 2026, following multiple unheeded invitations.

The decision to order the Vice-Chancellor's arrest was a direct outcome of deliberations on the report presented by the Ad Hoc Committee, which is chaired by Deputy Speaker Dumle Maol. This committee has been scrutinizing the disbursement of state funds to PAMO University since 2017. In addition to the arrest warrant, the Assembly also urged the Rivers State Government to establish a separate committee tasked with recovering all unaccounted funds currently held by PAMO University, recommending that these monies be deposited into the state's Consolidated Revenue Account. Speaker Martin Amaewhule presided over the session where these resolutions were passed, with the official statement confirming the House's actions released by Martins Wachukwu, Special Assistant on Media to the Speaker.

The legislative probe into PAMO University's finances, central to the Rivers Assembly PAMO VC arrest warrant, has uncovered significant discrepancies regarding the scholarship funds. The Ad Hoc Committee's report detailed that the university received over N29 billion from the state government. However, a critical finding highlighted that only N5 billion of this substantial sum was actually utilized, indicating a vast difference between the funds released and their application. Furthermore, the committee's investigation revealed a lack of corresponding student enrollment that would justify the scale of the funds disbursed, raising serious questions about the expenditure.

Speaker Martin Amaewhule commented on these findings, acknowledging that while the state government's initial intentions behind the scholarship scheme were commendable, its implementation proved problematic. He pointed out that documents provided by key state departments, including the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Education, and the Office of the Accountant-General, presented conflicting information. This inconsistency in financial records, coupled with the substantial unutilized funds and the absence of adequate student numbers, underpinned the committee's recommendations and the subsequent legislative action against the Vice-Chancellor. The committee's findings suggest that the Vice-Chancellor's repeated refusal to cooperate with the Dumle Maol ad hoc committee might be linked to these concerning financial irregularities.

This case powerfully underscores the extensive oversight capabilities of the Rivers State House of Assembly powers, particularly in ensuring Nigeria public funds accountability. Speaker Martin Amaewhule firmly asserted the Assembly's constitutional mandate, stating that no individual or institution is above the legislative body. He emphasized the Assembly's unwavering commitment to upholding proper governance, declaring its determination to "do the right thing irrespective of whose ox is gored." This stance highlights the legislative branch's role in scrutinizing the use of public resources and holding beneficiaries accountable.

The university at the center of this N29bn scholarship probe is owned by Dr. Peter Odili, a former Rivers State governor, who also serves as its Pro-Chancellor. This context adds another layer to the scrutiny, emphasizing the need for transparency in institutions receiving public funding, regardless of their affiliations. Prior to the current arrest warrant, the Assembly had already demonstrated its resolve by removing N6 billion allocated to PAMO University from the state's N1.84 trillion 2026 budget. This budget, presented to Governor Siminalayi Fubara on September 3rd, received his assent without any objections, further illustrating the Assembly's proactive approach to financial oversight and its determination to ensure responsible management of state resources. The Vice-Chancellor arrest Nigeria order serves as a stark reminder of the legal consequences for non-compliance with legislative inquiries.

This case underscores the significant oversight powers of state legislative bodies in Nigeria, particularly concerning the disbursement and accountability of public funds. Lawyers advising institutions that receive government funding should review their compliance frameworks for financial transparency and responsiveness to legislative inquiries, as failure to cooperate can lead to severe legal consequences, including arrest warrants.

Source: Reporting based on Punch's original coverage.