The Senate has completed the second reading of the proposed 2025 budget for Rivers State, amounting to ₦1.4 trillion.
This development follows a request made by President Bola Tinubu, who urged the National Assembly to consider and approve the financial plan following the Supreme Court’s decision to nullify the state’s earlier budget.
READ ALSO: Tinubu submits ₦1.48tn Rivers Budgety to National Assembly
In a formal communication to the Senate, President Tinubu explained that, given the current emergency rule in place in Rivers State—declared in March—legislative authority over the state’s financial matters now lies with the National Assembly, due to the inactivity of the state’s House of Assembly.
The newly proposed budget is designed to create approximately 6,000 jobs and is focused on major investments in key sectors such as healthcare, education, and agriculture.
Specific allocations in the budget include ₦324 billion for infrastructure development, ₦166 billion for healthcare, ₦75.6 billion for education, and ₦31.4 billion dedicated to agriculture.
Further financial details show that ₦287.3 billion is earmarked for recurrent expenses, ₦1.072 trillion for capital projects, and ₦120.8 billion for servicing debt.
Following the reading, Senate President Godswill Akpabio assigned the budget to the Ad-hoc Committee on Emergency Rule in Rivers State, directing the committee to conduct further legislative review within two weeks.
The committee convened its inaugural session on Tuesday, where it was announced that the Sole Administrator, Ibas Ikok-Ete, will present and defend the budget before a joint session of the National Assembly.
