Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, unveiled a N1.18 trillion budget proposal for 2025 on Monday to a factional state House of Assembly consisting of three lawmakers. This incident mirrored last year’s controversial budget presentation, where Fubara opted to bypass the 27-member faction aligned with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.
In a pointed critique, the opposition labeled Fubara’s actions as illegal amidst the ongoing political turmoil that erupted in October 2023, which saw a schism between Fubara and Wike. During this crisis, Fubara narrowly avoided an impeachment attempt from the assembly members loyal to Wike, who later defected from the ruling party.
Characterizing the 27-member assembly led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule as illegitimate, Fubara chose to present his budget to the three-man assembly headed by Speaker Victor Oko-Jumbo at the Government House in Port Harcourt.
During his address, Fubara labeled the budget “Budget of Inclusive Growth and Development,” emphasizing its focus on sustainable economic advancement and improved living standards for residents. The total projected revenue for Rivers State in the upcoming fiscal year is pegged at N1,188,962,739,932.36, with allocations for recurrent expenditure at N462.25 billion and capital expenditure at N678.09 billion.
Fubara highlighted the government’s commitment to significant investments in agriculture, education, health, and infrastructure. Approximately N31 billion is earmarked for agricultural development, while over N63 billion is allocated for education, aimed at rehabilitating schools and ensuring free basic education. The health sector is set to receive N97.75 billion to enhance medical facilities across the state.
In terms of infrastructure, over N195 billion is designated for ongoing and new road projects, alongside N15.4 billion for social development initiatives focusing on youth empowerment and gender equality.
Speaker Oko-Jumbo commended Fubara for increasing the state’s internally generated revenue by over N100 billion, underscoring the favorable investment climate in Rivers.
In contrast, the APC condemned Fubara’s decision to exclude the larger assembly from the budget presentation, accusing the governor of violating court orders. Publicity Secretary Chibuike Ikenga asserted that current actions go against judicial pronouncements and called for adherence to legal decisions to foster peace and development in the state.
