…Seeks public input for 2025 Appropriation Bill
By: Felix Ikpotor
Inspite of a court ruling asking that the Rivers State 2024 Appropriation Bill be re-presented before the Martin Amaewhule led Rivers State House of Assembly, the government said the budget is now in its final quarter of implementation and as such can’t be re-presented before any authority.
The state Commissioner for Budget and Fiscal Planning, Professor Peter Medee stated this at a one-day public consultation and pre-budget workshop on the 2025 budget estimates.
He said those wishing for the budget to be represented maybe daydreaming.
Recall that an Abuja Federal High Court had early this month ruled that the Rivers State 2024 Appropriation Bill be re-presented to the Martin Amaewhule led Rivers State House of Assembly. A verdict that is now a subject of appeal at the Supreme Court.
Medee noted that the 2024 budget was part of a medium-term framework (MTF) which had been approved by the State Executive Council and the State House of Assembly (RSHA).
He said: “This is the state Action on Business Enabling reforms. A World Bank and Nigeria’s Governors Forum initiative to incentivize the states and the subnational entities on Ease of Doing Business (EoDB).”
While reaffirming that the 2024 budget has passed several stages, Medee insisted that same can’t be represented saying: “It is regrettable that the 2024 Rivers State appropriation which has performed to the end of 3rd quarter will still be expected to be targeted at by some unpatriotic, overzealous, gullible, and ambitious antagonists of our state. These are people who still think that a budget that has passed through these stages with exceptionally higher performance can be reversed under any circumstance”.
He further clarified that budgeting is a process, insisting that no agency of government can stop a process of governance.
” Let me re-emphasize it that budget is not a book on the shelf of any government, budget is a process, so when you follow through the process from January 1 to December 31, it is a complete year on process and we have done the process from January to October, so it makes no sense of anybody who thinks that budget that has commenced from January 1 to October should be revisited or re-presented. So that’s an academic exercise,” he stated.
Giving a background of how the 2024 budget has faired, Medee said it is higher than the N744.7bn budgeted for 2023.
He also said N283,23bn was expected from federal allocation while N231bn is expected from internally generated revenue (IGR), adding that by end of June 2024, the state had grossed N209Bn from federal allocation and N164.6Bn from internally generated revenue.
Medee noted further that the budget had over 50% capital provision, citing some key projects already executed from the budget to include the Andoni section of the Ogoni-Opobo-Andoni Unity Road, Egbema internal roads, Aleto to Bori internal roads, Omoku dualised road, Emohua – Kalabari road, remodeling of Government Comprehensive Secondary School Borikiri, amongst others.
He said the Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s administration would vigorously pursue the dividends of democracy for the people in social protection programmes, provision of agric inputs to fight food scarcity, and support to nano and small scale businesses.
Medee explained that the pre-budget workshop was intended to offer people of the state, the opportunity to examine how the state have faired in the implementation of the 2024 Appropriation for the past nine months.
He also said the workshop was to appreciate the challenges, make reasonable and well informed inputs in preparation for the formulation of the 2025 Appropriation Bill.
Declaring the workshop open, Governor Siminalayi Fubara commended the budget commissioner for the initiative of public participation in shaping the budget of the state.
He said: “Our mantra is Rivers First, and we are clear on it. Thus, every policy, every naira spent must translate to directly benefit on the lives of all citizens that dwell and do business in Rivers State.
“In the year 2024, we prudently managed the budget of N800bn so far with the target of meeting the aspirations of the people. Bringing people together on budget is a major development for which I commend the Commissioner. That is what governance is all about. It is for the people and for everyone, it is about meeting critical principles, visionary leadership, local justice, infrastructure, and environment stewardship. The bottom line is sustainable development.”
Represented by his deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, the governor highlighted achievements in infrastructure, education, healthcare, economic policies which fosters entrepreneurship and innovation.
Meanwhile, Nenubari Dike, Publicity Secretary of Association of Local Government, ALGON, and chairman of Tai LGA in the state said they are happy with the workshop, promising to replicate same at the local government levels.
