Senate, on Wednesday, passed the 2025 budget of Rivers State, totaling N1.485 trillion, following the consideration of the report of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Oversighting the Emergency Rule in the state.
The Red Chamber passed the Appropriation Bill after the Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee and Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, presented the report during plenary.
In his presentation, Bamidele noted that the bill sought to authorize the issuance of N1,485,662,592,442 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Rivers State for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025.
The breakdown of the budget is as follows: N120.8 billion for debt servicing, NI287.38 billion for recurrent (non-debt) expenditure, and N1.077 trillion for capital expenditure.
Speaking in support of the passage of the bill, Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP Bauchi Central), however, expressed concerns about the additional N50 billion earmarked for the payment of outstanding pensions and gratuities.
He urged the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee to conduct more rigorous oversight to ensure that the funds reach the rightful pension beneficiaries without delay.
President Bola Tinubu, had submitted the 2025 Appropriation Bill for Rivers State to the National Assembly for consideration in May, following the suspension of the state’s House of Assembly.
According to a letter addressed to the President of the Senate, Senator Goodwill Akpabio, the proposed budget totals N1.481 trillion, with major allocations aimed at revitalizing key sectors.
Recall that after months of political debacle between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Rivers State House of Assembly members who are loyal to the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the state on March 18, 2025, and appointed Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (rtd) as Sole administrator to oversee the affairs of the state for the first six months before possible reinstatement of democratic government in Rivers,
