- Safiu Kehinde
President Bola Tinubu has on Thursday submitted a budget proposal of N1.48 trillion for the Rivers State Government to the National Assembly for consideration and passage.
This is coming two months after his declaration of emergency rule in the state with the appointment of Vice Admiral Ibok-ette Ibas as Rivers Sole Administrator following the six-month suspension of the state govenor, Siminalayi Fubara, and his cabinet.
Prior to the state of the emergency declaration, the Supreme Court had barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) of issuing Federal allocation to the state government amid the political crisis involving Fubara and members of the state House of Assembly.
However, Tinubu said the budget proposal became necessary because of the nullification of the 2025 budget of the state by the Supreme Court and the fact that the state is currently under emergency rule.
He maintained that the budget focuses on strategic investment in infrastructure, healthcare, education, and agriculture, with the aim of generating approximately 6,000 new jobs.
As contained in a letter addressed to the Senate President, Senator Goodwill Akpabio, the proposed budget totals ₦1.481 trillion, with major allocations aimed at revitalizing key sectors.
Infrastructure tops the list, amassing ₦324 billion, while the health sector is allocated ₦106 billion with ₦5 billion earmarked for free malaria drugs.
The education sector is set to receive ₦75.6 billion while ₦31.4 billion is proposed for agricultural development.
Tinubu appealed to the parliament to urgently pass the budget for the good of the state and its people.
In reaction during its plenary on Thursday, the Senate referred the bill to its Ad-hoc Committee on Emergency Rule, with instructions to review the proposal and report back to the chamber as soon as possible.