Rivers gets public views for 2025 budget

In a bid to ensure participatory budgeting and accountability, the Rivers State Government has begun to get public inputs for its 2025 budget.

The State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Professor Peter Medee, said the valuable inputs of the people in budgeting processes were critical in democracy and to shaping the financial future of the state.

The Commissioner also announced that those waiting for the re-presentation of the N800Bn 2024 budget before any authority were dreaming, saying such call is too late as the budget is already in its final quarter and has performed wonderfully.

Medee stated this yesterday at the 2025 pre-budget session to account for the 2024 budget and get inputs into the 2025 version.

Recall that a court had ruled that the 2024 budget be represented to one of the factions in the endless Rivers political crisis but the state government had argued that the members of that faction had sworn to an affidavit affirming that they had defected to another party and that a court had ruled that the fellows had lost their seats; this argument is still under litigation.

According to Medee, the 2024 budget was part of a medium-term framework (MTF), which had been approved by the state executive council and the Rivers State House of Assembly (RSHA), with implementation in the 4th quarter.

He said, “This is the state action on business enabling reforms. A World Bank and Nigeria’s Governors Forum initiative to incentivise the states and the subnational entities on Ease of Doing Business (EoDB).”

He said such processes from local to national and global levels have already been observed, saying: “It is regrettable that the 2024 Rivers State appropriation, which has performed to the end of the 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 gave the background of the budget, saying it is higher than the N744.7Bn for 2023. He said N283,23Bn was expected from federal allocation and N231Bn expected from independent revenue (internally generated revenue IGR). He gave account, saying by end of June 2024, the state grossed N209 billion from FAAC and N164.6 billion from IGR.

Medee noted that the budget had over 50% capital provision and gave key projects already executed as Andoni section of the Unity Road, Egbema internal Roads, Aleto to Bori internal Roads, Omoku Dualised Road, Emohua Kalabari Road, remodeling of schools, etc.

He said the administration would rather continue to vigorously pursue the dividends of democracy in social protection programmes, the provision of agricultural inputs to fight food scarcity, and support to nano and SMEs.

The State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, while declaring the public hearing open, commended the Commissioner of Budget for his thoughtfulness in ensuring public participation in shaping the economic and financial future of the state.

Represented by the Deputy Governor, Prof Ngozi Odu, the governor described the event as the first of its kind.

The governor said, “Our mantra is Rivers First, and we are clear on it. Thus, every naira spent must directly touch the lives of our people and those who live in Rivers State.

“We prudently managed the N800Bn 2024 budget 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’s is what governance is all about. It is about meeting critical principles, visionary leadership, local justice, infrastructure, and environmental stewardship. The bottom line is sustainable development.”

The governor said the state has been positioned as a model for accountability and as a stepping stone for prosperity.

He said the duty of government is not just managing the budget but transforming Rivers State, saying that was the actual mandate given to him.