Rivers State gets the green light of the House as it approves the states’ 2025 budget
The House of Representatives on Tuesday approved the total sum of N1.48 trillion for Rivers State’s 2025 fiscal year.
The approval of the House followed the consideration of the appropriation bill during the committee of supply. The report of the of the bill was laid earlier during the planey by the Rivers state ad-hoc committee chairman Rep. Julius Ihonbvere.
Taking the synopsis of the the bill, Rep. Ihonvbere stated that the committee unanimously agreed on the three recommendations.
He said: “The ad-hoc committee spent a long time perusing the figures and the budget as was presented, corrections were made, information were sought and supplied and we made slight adjustments in the interest of the people Rivers State.
“Essentially recommendations one, two, three where we moved certain sums. Money meant for security surveillance, renewable power and purchase of gun boats which was about 30.5 billion, another 35 billion was removed from security votes and this was reallocated in the interest of the people in a more impactful structural projects that we served the people. 25 billion for internal roads another 20 billion for internal toads I selected local governments and rural communities in the state.”
In his contribution, the minority leader Rep. Kingsley Chinda questioned the terminal date for the Rivers budget
“ I want to ask for the terminal date for this budget if it was considered I can’t find it. Because the emergency rule has a terminal date which we agreed so we should tie the budget to the period of emergency.”
However, some members outrightly objected saying budget cycle is a fiscal year which is 12 months.
Ruling on the appropriation bill, the Chairman of the Committee on Supply, Benjamin Kalu, who presided over the session said that at anytime budget is meant for the people and not for the persons in position because at anytime that person can loose that position.
