349
By Lizzy Chirkpi
The Nigerian Senate has backed a 50% increase in Rivers State’s 2025 budget, currently under an emergency administration, describing the revisions as necessary, people-oriented, and consistent with the goal of sustaining peace and development in the state.
A key highlight of the adjusted budget is a substantial ₦50 billion allocation earmarked for outstanding pensions and gratuities.
The budget, submitted to the National Assembly as an executive bill by the Administrator of Rivers State through the Commander-in-Chief, has seen a sharp rise from estimates initially prepared by the previous Fubara-led administration. According to the Senate, the increase primarily addresses urgent capital projects and critical welfare obligations.
During a press briefing on Tuesday, Senate Leader Senator Opeyemi Bamidele confirmed that both chambers of the National Assembly have already completed the first and second readings of the bill.
“Over the past three weeks since this bill was presented, we have had the opportunity to thoroughly review its contents. We scrutinized the details and held extensive engagements with the Rivers State Administrator and his team, including the Attorney General, the Permanent Secretary of Finance, the Director of Budget, and the Director of Planning,” Bamidele said.
Bamidele also clarified that approximately 85% of the budget had already been drafted by the previous administration before the declaration of emergency rule. The revisions, he explained, reflect the new administration’s priorities, particularly in infrastructure development and public welfare.
A key component of the revised budget is the ₦50 billion dedicated to the payment of outstanding pensions and gratuities. The Senate Leader described this as a “vital intervention aimed at restoring dignity to retired public servants and ensuring social stability”
“These are citizens who served their state diligently and have waited far too long for their entitlements. We see this move as both a moral obligation and a peace-building effort,” Bamidele emphasized.
Another area of commendation from the Senate is the budget’s structure, with over 70% of the total appropriation earmarked for capital expenditure and less than 30% designated for recurrent expenses, including overhead costs. The Senate lauded this capital-heavy approach as a best-practice model for other state governments.
“This demonstrates a clear commitment to infrastructure, job creation, and development. If our budgets focus more on capital projects, our people will see and feel the dividends of democracy, ” he said.
The Senate reaffirmed its rigorous oversight throughout the budget consideration process. Bamidele highlighted that lawmakers posed critical questions and demanded detailed responses from the Rivers State officials involved in the budget formulation.
He also praised the transparency and cooperation of the Administrator and his team, noting that none of them had been suspended despite the political transition into emergency rule.
With the budget currently undergoing further scrutiny by the National Assembly’s Joint Committee, expectations are high for its eventual passage and implementation. The Senate concluded its defense by urging all tiers of government to emulate Rivers State’s capital-focused fiscal direction, especially in times of crisis, to drive sustainable development and uplift citizens’ welfare.
Recall that the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, on Wednesday, 11 June 2025 defended the state’s proposed N1.48 trillion 2025 budget before the Ad-hoc Committee of the House of Representatives, oversighting the state’s affairs under the current state of emergency.
Presenting the budget, Mr. Ibas explained that the proposal was crafted to reflect the President’s directive and to promote inclusive development across all sectors. He confirmed that the proposed budget, which had already been reviewed by the Presidency, had been transmitted to the National Assembly in line with constitutional procedures.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had on March 18, 2025 declared a state of emergency in Rivers State, relying on Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), citing protracted political crisis and breakdown of governance as reasons for the action.