Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has announced plans to reduce the excessive deployment of security personnel assigned to top government officials, as part of efforts to improve efficiency and cut unnecessary spending.
Speaking on Thursday in Port Harcourt during an inspection of ongoing accommodation projects for commissioners and special advisers, the governor said the move is aimed at ensuring better use of security resources while addressing waste in the system.
According to Fubara, the state government is currently constructing residential quarters that will house senior political appointees in a central location. He explained that this approach will help reduce the need for multiple security details attached to officials living in different parts of the city.
The project, which includes 25 units of six-bedroom duplexes, was initiated after the government observed that many senior officials did not have official residences. This situation, he said, forced the state to spend heavily on rented apartments for them.
Fubara described the arrangement as both inefficient and embarrassing, noting that centralising accommodation would not only improve coordination among officials but also boost productivity.
He further explained that housing top officials in one secured location would make it easier to manage security operations through a unified structure, rather than deploying multiple personnel across scattered residences.
The governor expressed satisfaction with the pace of work on the project and praised the contractor for sticking to the agreed timeline. He disclosed that the housing facility is expected to be completed and commissioned by November this year.
In many Nigerian states, senior government officials are often housed in private or rented residences, which typically require separate security arrangements. This can lead to increased costs and duplication of security personnel, especially in urban centres like Port Harcourt.
Governor Fubara said the new housing project will serve as a long-term solution to these challenges and reflect his administration’s commitment to improving governance and managing public resources more efficiently.