President Bola Tinubu has written the National Assembly to present the 2025 budget proposal for Rivers State, seeking urgent consideration and approval for a total of N1.481 trillion.
This move follows recent political developments in the state, including the Supreme Court’s decision to nullify an earlier version of the budget.
The state, currently under emergency rule, has seen its regular government activities suspended since March 18, 2025.
On that date, President Tinubu declared a state of emergency due to rising instability, which resulted in the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers House of Assembly for a six-month period.
With the Assembly inactive, Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) has been appointed as Sole Administrator of the state. The National Assembly has since taken over all legislative responsibilities in accordance with the amended 1999 Constitution.
In his letter to the federal lawmakers, Tinubu provided a detailed breakdown of the budget allocations.
A significant portion, N324 billion, is designated for infrastructure development, while N166 billion is planned for the health sector. The education sector is allocated N75.6 billion, and N31.4 billion is set aside for agricultural initiatives.
The President also noted that the agricultural investment outlined in the budget is expected to create approximately 6,000 jobs, a move seen as part of a broader effort to stabilize the state’s economy during this emergency period.
