By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, Sole Administrator of Rivers State, has presented the proposed ₦1.48 trillion 2025 budget before the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on Rivers State Oversight.
Speaking at the National Assembly on Wednesday, Ibas outlined a bold fiscal plan aimed at restoring critical infrastructure, strengthening social services, and driving inclusive economic growth under the ongoing state of emergency declared by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
According to him, the proposed budget aligns with the Rivers State Development Plan (2017–2027) and was designed to accommodate unregularized expenditures made by the administration before the emergency declaration.
He noted that, regrettably, some state officials withheld critical information needed to fully capture those expenditures at the time of submission. Nevertheless, the budget framework, he explained, has integrated available data to lawfully ratify first-quarter expenditures within a transparent and credible structure.
Key allocations in the budget include ₦324.5 billion for infrastructure, ₦55 billion for the relocation and upgrade of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, ₦30 billion for education, and ₦117 billion for pensions and employee benefits.
Provisions were also made for food security, youth and women empowerment programs, agricultural development, and environmental protection initiatives. Ibas assured lawmakers that the administration remains committed to prudent fiscal management and delivering tangible benefits to the people of Rivers State.
In his remarks, Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee, Hon. Julius Ihonvbere, emphasized the committee’s commitment to a thorough and transparent budget review process. Ihonvbere assured that the National Assembly would work in partnership with the Sole Administrator to help restore Rivers State, but stressed that no corners would be cut in the process.
