Rivers State N1.48trn 2025 Budget For 2nd Reading
BY PATRICK WEMAMBU
Nigerian Senate Wednesday passed for second reading the 2025 Rivers State Appropriation Bill (SB. 843). The Bill which seeks to authorize the issue out of the Rivers State Consolidated Revenue Fund the total sum of N1.481Trillion (One Trillion, Four Hundred and Eighty-One Billion Naira) only for the year ending on the 31st day of December, 2025 – was sponsored by Sen. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central).
Leading the debate on the general principles of the Appropriation, the sponsor reminded the Upper House that the Bill is deemed to have been read the first time by virtue of its being presented vide a communication from the President C-in-C, of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Thursday, 22nd May, 2025.
Said he; “Mr. President, Distinguished Colleagues, you may wish to recall that Rivers State is currently under Emergency Rule which was proclaimed duly Gazetted and approved by the National Assembly in March, 2025.
Regulation 4 (2) (f) of the Emergency Rule 2025 requires authorization for expenditure from the consolidated Revenue of Rivers State, for its activities.
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“The budget submission follows the declaration of Emergency Rule in Rivers State by President Tinubu on March, 18th 2025, and the subsequent nullification of the state’s 2025 budget by the Supreme Court.
“Mr. President, my highly respected and Distinguished Colleagues, we are today called upon by history to play our role as Distinguished Senators of the Federal Republic and as Statesmen to perform our constitutional duty in the absence of the Rivers State House of Assembly to approve the budget proposal for the Emergency Rule for Government of Rivers State.
“This budget is specifically for the Emergency Rule Government of Rivers State, aimed at providing essential services such as:- Infrastructure Development: Over
N324 billion allocated for road projects and public transportation upgrades;
“Agriculture: Nearly N32 billion earmarked for agricultural transformation to boost youth engagement in farming;
“Education: Over N75.6 billion allocated for improving learning environments and ensuring access to free basic education;
“Healthcare: N166.5 billion (14.4% of the budget) set aside for major healthcare projects, including completing zonal hospitals and general hospitals;
“Youth Empowerment Approximately N6.2 billion allocated for digital resource centers, sports development; and
“Women Affairs N 5.2 Billion earmarked for social inclusion.”
He harped on the importance of noting that the spending plan prioritizes investment in critical sectors of the state such as Infrastructure, health, including free drugs for malaria and other common ailments. Others are Education, and Agriculture which is projected to generate approximately 6,000 jobs.
Declaring that the budget aims to promote inclusive growth and development, Bamidele pointed out a focus on sustainable economic expansion and improved living conditions for residents. He cited the funding sources as;
– FAAC allocations;
– Internally Generated Revenue (IGR);
– Statutory allocations;
– Mineral funds;
– VAT; and
– Refunds.
“This Budget is designed to stabilize the State, restore critical services, and improve livelihoods. I therefore urge my Colleagues to support the second reading of this Bill,” he concluded.
