Fubara presents N1.18tr budget to Oko-Jumbo-led Assembly

• APP chair commends gov’s visionary leadership
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has presented a budget of N1.18 trillion for the 2025 fiscal year to the three-man Victor Oko-Jumbo-led Rivers State House of Assembly.

The budget, tagged, ‘Budget of Inclusive Growth and Development,’ aimed to consolidate the state’s economic growth, accelerate development, and improve the living standards of its citizens.

In his address during the presentation at the temporary chambers in the Government House yesterday, the governor said the budget is divided into two components: recurrent expenditure, which takes N462.25 billion, and capital expenditure, which takes N678.08 billion.

The budget also includes a planning reserve of N35.68 billion and a closing balance of N12.93 billion.

According to Fubara, the 2025 budget is premised on achieving sustainable economic growth, accelerating development, and improving the living standards of the people. He stated that the budget prioritises agriculture, economic growth, quality education and healthcare delivery, basic infrastructure, and social investments.

In the area of agriculture, the governor said the state will allocate nearly N31 billion to support interventions in agricultural development. This sum will enable the state to implement a comprehensive agriculture transformation support programme for youths and contribute to resolving the challenges of youth unemployment, poverty, and food insecurity.

On education, Fubara said the state will spend over N63 billion to provide access to quality education at all levels. This includes rehabilitating and equipping dilapidated public primary and junior secondary schools, providing free basic education to children, and recruiting 3,000 teachers to improve the teacher-learner ratio.

In the health sector, the governor pointed out that the state will spend N97.750 billion to provide quality and affordable healthcare services. This includes completing and equipping zonal hospitals, constructing the expanded neuropsychiatric hospital, and rehabilitating general hospitals and health centres across the state.

MEANWHILE, the Action Peoples Party (APP) in Rivers State has commended the governor for his mastery of leadership which is driving economic growth and development in the state.

The party’s Chairman, Sunny Wokekoro, spoke to journalists on the presentation of the 2025 budget to the state Assembly by Governor Fubara. He praised the governor’s leadership, stating that the 2024 budget had been highly beneficial to the people of the state.

Wokekoro noted that Fubara has demonstrated leadership, tact and expertise by increasing the state’s internally generated revenue, thereby boosting the state’s resources without leading it into unnecessary debt.

The APP Chairman described the 2025 budget as a “Budget of Inclusive Growth and Development,” hailing Fubara’s vision for the state.