The Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral (Rtd) Ibok Ete Ekwe Ibas, announced plans to present a new 2025 appropriation bill to tackle crucial sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture, and infrastructure.
Ibas made this statement on Thursday during a meeting with a delegation from the Rivers caucus in the national assembly at the government house in Port Harcourt.
He stressed that the budget will also prioritise job creation and technological progress to enhance public services and foster economic development within the state.
“Since the Supreme Court verdict on the state’s budget, we have acted swiftly and decided to put together a new budget that reflects our commitment to healthcare, education, social services, and continued infrastructural development.
“We have worked diligently to ensure that the process is transparent, inclusive, and, most importantly, expedited.
“Our goal is to ensure that we do not lose any more time in making the necessary investments that will improve the lives of citizens.” He said.
Ibas noted that collaboration with lawmakers is essential for Rivers to “stay on a course of progress and lasting peace for future generations.”
Rivers’s budget challenges date back to 2023, when the state’s House of Assembly was divided into two factions.
In December 2023, Siminalayi Fubara, the suspended governor of Rivers, submitted an N800 billion budget proposal for 2024 to a five-member state house of assembly chaired by Edison Ehie and signed it into law a day after.
