The Rivers State House of Assembly has opened a fresh front in its dispute with PAMO University of Medical Sciences, constituting a seven-member ad hoc committee to probe funds released to the institution by the state government since its establishment in 2017.
The investigation, approved by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, is being conducted under Section 128 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
The seven-member committee is chaired by Dumle Maol. Other members are Silvanus Nwankwo, Lemchi Nyeche, Henrietta Loolo, Peter Abbey, Napoleon Ukalikpe and Emilia Amadi.
The committee is expected to establish the total amount of public funds released to PAMO University over the years and determine whether the money was utilised for the purposes for which it was provided.
It will also investigate the university’s scholarship scheme, including the number and identities of beneficiaries, if any, alongside other issues relating to the management and utilisation of government funds.
The development is likely to deepen the controversy surrounding the university and the Assembly, coming shortly after the legislature declined to approve the N6 billion allocation proposed for PAMO University in the state’s 2026 budget.
The Assembly’s latest action also comes against the backdrop of a legal threat issued by PAMO University to the Speaker.
The university, through its solicitors, had demanded the retraction of what it described as malicious and defamatory comments attributed to Hon. Amaewhule concerning the institution, as well as a public apology.
The university warned that failure to meet its demands could result in legal action against the Speaker.
With the Assembly now launching a formal probe into the university’s funding, the dispute appears set to assume a broader financial and constitutional dimension.
The committee is expected to submit its findings and recommendations to the House on or before September 30, 2026.