The Nigerian Senate has approved the Rivers State budget for the 2025 fiscal year at its second reading stage, marking a critical legislative step under the ongoing State of Emergency in the state.
Senate Leader Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele presented the budget on Wednesday, revealing a total allocation of ₦1.48 trillion. He explained that the Senate had taken over legislative functions for Rivers State following the declaration of the State of Emergency, which granted the federal government temporary control to address security and governance challenges.
Senator Solomon Adeola Olamilekan lent his voice in support of the budget’s progression, emphasizing the urgency of passing the document so that Rivers residents could begin to “feel the presence of government.” “Mr. President, I am not exactly sure under what title this document is categorised, but from what I can see, it pertains to a budget under the state of emergency. I hereby support its passage for second reading so that the people of Rivers can feel the presence of government,” Adeola remarked.
The motion encountered no resistance, prompting Senate President Godswill Akpabio to conduct a voice vote. The budget was subsequently referred to the Ad-hoc Committee tasked with overseeing the State of Emergency in Rivers for detailed examination.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Senate announced that Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, would appear before a Joint National Assembly Ad-hoc Committee alongside other state officials to justify the proposed budget, reflecting ongoing federal supervision of the state’s administration during this exceptional period.
