Rivers State okays N448b 2021 budget, N2b for council polls

Family demands N100m compensation for killing of breadwinner, UNICAL loses N1.3b to looters
The Rivers State Executive Council has approved N448.660b budget proposal for 2021 and N2b for the state’s Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to conduct council elections next year.

Governor Nyesom Wike disclosed this yesterday after the council meeting at Government House, Port Harcourt.

Commissioner for Finance, Isaac Kamalu, who briefed journalists after the meeting, said the proposed budget estimate would help government to complete all ongoing projects and enable it to improve the people’s welfare.

Kamalu, who also supervises the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, said the council also approved the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) from 2021 to 2023.

Also, Commissioner for Information and Communication, Paulinus Nsirim, explained that the N2b budget for RSIEC would enable it to conduct the 2021 local government election next year.

BESIDES, the state Judicial Commission of Inquiry on police brutality sitting in Port Harcourt has been urged to compel the Nigerian Police to pay the family of the late Bright Mark N100m as compensation for killing its breadwinner.

The family also sought the prosecution of the police officer who killed the 31-year old taxi driver in February 2018 at the Rumuokoro Roundabout in Obio/Akpor Council Area.

A member of the family, Akachi Mark, told the panel that his brother was killed inside his taxi on traffic gridlock at the Rumuokoro Roundabout.

Addressing the panel, counsel to the Commissioner of Police (CP), Mrs. M. M. Nweke, asked for adjournment to enable the police legal team visit the Rumuokoro Special Area Division, where the incident occurred.

In his ruling, Chairman of the panel, Justice Chukwunenye Uriri (rtd.), adjourned hearing to Wednesday, December 2, 2020 and advised the police legal team to ensure that they appear on the adjourned date with their witnesses.

MEANWHILE, the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Cross River State has disclosed that the institution lost property worth N1.3b to the #EndSARS protests that was hijacked by hoodlums.

Pro-Chancellor of the University, Nkechi Nwaogu stated this at a media briefing on the aftermath of the looting in parts of the country.

She urged people of goodwill, the Cross River State Government and Federal Government agencies to assist the university to cushion the impact of the destruction of property worth about N1.3b.