The Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has sought the consideration and approval of the National Assembly for the N1.48 trillion 2025 Rivers state budget, while it is recalled that he halted the escalating political crisis and the attendant security challenges in the state.
Penpushing reports subsequently declared a state of emergence and appointed Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired vice admiral and former chief of naval staff, as sole administrator of the state, while the budget proposal is the first since Ibas assumed office
The President request is, however, contained in a letter addressed to President of Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Abbas Tajudeen.
Penpushing further reports the letter titled “Forwarding of Rivers State Government 2025 Appropriation Bill for consideration by the National Assembly”, was read on Thursday by the two presiding officers during the plenary sessions of both chambers.
“Regulation 4, sub-section 2 of the emergency rule 2025 requires authorisation for expenditure from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Rivers state for its activities. In the absence of the State House of Assembly, it is expected that the National Assembly acts on that behalf, hence the request for the approval of the senate for the Rivers State Government 2025 appropriation bill’, the letter reads.
“The appropriation bill for the year 2025 is in the total sum of N1.48 trillion, wherein the sum of N324 billion is for infrastructure, both ongoing and new projects, while the sum of N166 billion is for the health sector, including N5 billion for free drugs for treatment of malaria and other common ailments. The sum of N75.6 billion is proposed for the educational sector and the sum of N31.4 billion is proposed for agricultural purposes,” the letter stated.
Penpushing also reports that Tinubu explained that the spending plan prioritised investment in critical sectors of the state, such as infrastructure, health, including drugs for malaria and other common ailments, education and agriculture projected to generate 6,000 jobs.
“Accordingly, I hereby forward the Rivers State Government 2025 appropriation bill and trust that it will receive the expeditions and the auspicious consideration of the senate. Please accept, the distinguished Senate President and the distinguished senators, the assurances of my highest regards’, he wrote
Penpushing reports that the Senate President, shortly after reading the letter, referred it to the Senate ad-hoc committee on emergency rule in Rivers state and directed the committee to report back to plenary as soon as possible.
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