Tinubu Submits Rivers Budget to National Assembly

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday submitted the 2025 budget of the Rivers State Government to the National Assembly for consideration and passage.

The move comes on the heels of the Supreme Court’s nullification of the state’s original 2025 budget and the imposition of emergency rule in the state.

According to a statement from the Presidency, the N1.481 trillion budget is being presented to the National Assembly in accordance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended, which empowers the federal legislature to take over the legislative functions of a state assembly in the event of an emergency.

The President’s decision to submit the budget to the National Assembly is seen as a necessary step to ensure the continued governance and development of Rivers State, which has been plagued by political instability and violence in recent months.

With the state assembly not in session due to the emergency rule, the National Assembly is now tasked with the responsibility of considering and passing the budget.

Details of the budget reveal that a significant chunk of the funds, ₦324 billion, will be allocated to infrastructure development, aimed at improving the state’s roads, bridges, and other critical infrastructure.

The health sector will receive ₦166 billion, while education and agriculture will get ₦75.6 billion and ₦31.4 billion, respectively.

The President noted that the agriculture sector is expected to generate approximately 6,000 jobs, a significant boost to the state’s economy. He appealed to lawmakers to urgently pass the budget, emphasizing that it is in the best interest of the people of Rivers State.

“We must act swiftly to ensure that the people of Rivers State do not suffer undue hardship as a result of the nullification of their budget. I urge the National Assembly to consider and pass this budget with all due haste, so that we can begin to implement the necessary projects and programs that will drive growth and development in the state,” President Tinubu said in a statement.