By: Felix Ikpotor
Lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Monday, voted in favour of three separate requests sent to the House by the state governor, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.
The approvals are in synergy with the resolutions reached by the State Executive Council.
The requests are as follows:
1) The Rivers State Medium Expenditure Framework (MTEF), 2022—2024.
2) Requests for approval by His Excellency, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike Esq., Executive Governor of Rivers State to participate in accessing the “Bridge funds” of 18, 225, 336, 103. 89 (Eighteen billion, two hundred and twenty–five million three hundred and thirty–six thousand, one hundred and three naira, eighty–nine kobo) from the Federal Government of Nigeria.
3) Request for approval by His Excellency, Chief Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike Esq., Executive Governor of Rivers State to sale the Rivers State Government owned gas–turbine generator unit and accessories abandoned in the Netherlands and other wasting power asserts.
According to the letter read, “While the MTEF enables the state government plan its multi-year (3years) budget structure, the loan which has a maximum of thirty years (30) refund time, when gotten will enable added development in the state. And the proceeds from the sale of the gas–turbine generator unit including its accessories which have been abandoned in the Netherlands by the previous administration in 2012 will enable the state government pay off the accrued debt of over Eight billion naira, and the remaining proceeds will be use for the development our State”.
Speaker of the assembly, Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani while approving the request clarified that the state government was not necessarily borrowing money but said since the fund has been made available by the federal government, it was unreasonable for the state government not to participate in it.
