By Charles Maduka
The Senate has approved the 2025 budget of Rivers State for a second reading. The proposed budget, amounting to ₦1.48 trillion, was presented to the upper legislative chamber by the Senate Leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele.
According to Bamidele, the Senate is acting under special legislative powers over Rivers State, following the recent declaration of a State of Emergency in the state.
Lending his support, Senator Solomon Adeola Olamilekan stressed the importance of passing the budget swiftly to ensure the people of Rivers State continue to benefit from governance despite the ongoing emergency situation.
“Mr. President, I may not be certain under which category this budget is filed, but clearly it concerns governance under a state of emergency. I support its progression to the second reading to show the people that government is still functional,” he said.
With no senator opposing the motion, Senate President Godswill Akpabio conducted a voice vote in favour of the motion and subsequently referred the budget to the Ad-hoc Committee on Overseeing the Rivers State of Emergency for further scrutiny and legislative action.
Meanwhile, the Senate has summoned the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, along with other state officials, to appear before a Joint National Assembly Ad-hoc Committee to defend the 2025 budget proposal.
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