Senate, on Wednesday, passed for second reading N1.48trn emergency budget for Rivers.
The Ñ1.48trillion is to be drawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, CRF for the 2025 fiscal year under an emergency governance structure in Rivers State.
The piece of legislation is entitled: “A Bill for an Act to Authorise the Issuance from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Rivers State”.
It was presented by the Senate Leader and chairman of the Adhoc Committee on Emergency Rule in the state, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC Ekiti Central) during plenary.
The budget, according to Senator Bamidele, was designed to ensure smooth government operation and promote inclusive growth and development with a focus on improving the standard of living for the people of the state.
The breakdown of the proposed spending plan is N120.8 billion, which is earmarked for debt servicing, N287.3 billion for recurrent (non-debt) expenditure, and N1.07 trillion for capital expenditure.
The budget, targeted to create 6,000 jobs, is prioritising investment in critical sectors, including health, education, and agriculture.
Some highlights indicate N324 billion for infrastructure: N166 billion for health; N75.6billion for education; and N31.4billion for agriculture.
A further breakdown has N287.3billion for recurrent expenditure; N1.072trillion for capital expenditure; and N120.8billion for debt service.
The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, thereafter, referred the budget to the Ad-hoc Committee supervising Emergency Rule in Rivers State for additional legislative action and report back within two weeks.
The Committee had on Tuesday held it inaugural meeting and stated that the Sole Administrator, Ibas Ikok-Ete, will defend the budget before the joint committee of the National Assembly.
President Bola Tinubu had last week written the Senate and the House of Representatives, seeking the consideration and approval of N1.48 trillion Appropriation Bill for Rivers State, citing the ongoing state of emergency imposed in the oil-rich state since March 2025.
Tinubu, in the letter read at plenary by the Senate President, explained that when approved, the money will be used by the Emergency Rule Government of Rivers State to provide for education, agriculture, provision of free drugs, others.
According to him, the request follows the constitutional requirement for the National Assembly to assume legislative duties for any state under emergency rule where the State House of Assembly is suspended or non-functional.
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