…Problem is where to lay it for approval
Rivers State Executive Council has deliberated and approved an estimated budget spending of N800bn for the state for 2024 fiscal year. What is not clear however, is where the governor would lay the budget for consideration and approval for signing into law.
The dilemma stems from the division of the Rivers State House of Assembly into one major and one small camps. This has been followed by the defection of 27 out of 32 lawmakers loyal to former governor, Nyesom Wike.
The Rivers State Executive Council has approved the budget into a bill to be tabled to the Parliament. The Council also approved that the estimated budget be christened, “Budget of Renewed Hope, Consolidation and Continuity.”
The Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, presided over the meeting that held at the Executive Chambers of Government House in Port Harcourt.
Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, addressed newsmen after the meeting.
He said about N412bn was approved as projected sum for capital expenditure while recurrent expenditure is getting N361bn.
“We had the 5th council meeting of Rivers State. We deliberated on the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, which is usually a precursor to discussing the budget.
“An 83-page document was also presented, which has the budget estimate. The budget estimate for 2024 is N800bn, and it is tagged: ‘Budget of Renewed Hope, Consolidation and Continuity.’
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The Information Commissioner further said: “Essentially, the budget is focused on some key areas with infrastructure taking the lead with N128bn of the budget followed by Education, Health and Security.”
Also speaking, the Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), Tammy Danagogo, said the estimated budget was approved in support of Governor Fubara to giving Rivers people renewed hope that will guarantee continual harvest of projects and human capital development.
“We approved an estimated budget of N800,392,485,433, which we believe, by the time it gets to the Rivers State House of Assembly, the public will be made to see and understand all the projections and fundamentals.
“Basically, the essence of the budget is to give the people and residents of the Rivers State the renewed hope and to ensure that there is a consolidation and continuity in what has been happening in terms of the harvest of projects we have been having in the state, and of course other areas, particularly in human capital development, security, investment drive in the State and ease of doing business.”
