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Fubara Presents N1.188tn 2025 Budget To Rivers Assembly

Published

7 months ago

December 30, 2024

The Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has presented N1.188 trillion as a budgetary estimate for the 2025 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly for consideration and approval.

This figure is an increase from the 2024 budget of N800 billion that was presented in 2023 to the Assembly.

Fubara presented the 2025 Appropriation Bill shortly after delivering his address to lawmakers at the Assembly Auditorium, Administrative Block of Government House in Port Harcourt on Monday.

He said the 2025 budget, christened “Budget of Inclusive Growth and Development,” will be implemented to achieve sustainable economic growth and accelerate the development of the state while improving the living standards of all residents.

Fubara explained that with the set-out objectives, the 2025 budget will strengthen the capacity of the state to weather possible external shocks from the volatility of the national economy while building a resilient economy that will advance the collective development and prosperity of the people.

He said, “The total projected revenue for Rivers State for the 2025 fiscal year is N1,188,962,739,932.36.

“Two components of the budget are constituted as follows: Recurrent Expenditure of N462,254,153,418.98; Capital Expenditure of N678,088,433,692.03; Planning Reserve of N35,688,864,931.16; and a closing balance of N12,931,287,890.1935.

“This gives a Recurrent/Capital Expenditure ratio of 44:56%, indicating the sincere commitment of our administration to both infrastructural and human capital development of our people and state.”

The governor said nearly N31 billion has been allocated to support interventions in agricultural development to ease the implementation of a comprehensive agriculture transformation and support programme for Rivers youths in order to significantly resolve issues of youth unemployment and poverty.

He emphasised that the commitment is also to address food insecurity in Rivers State, and provide land preparation, farm inputs, and extension services, including training, tractors, and access to improved seedlings and fertilisers to farmers to enhance their productivity and farm yields.

In education, Governor Fubara assured that his administration will continue to provide access to quality education at all levels, enabling Rivers children to have the knowledge and skills they need to excel in their careers and contribute to the development of the state.

The governor said, “Consequently, we have proposed to spend over N63 billion, representing 9.3% of the budget on education in fiscal year 2025.

“With this, we shall access all outstanding matching grants from the Universal Basic Education Commission to rehabilitate, equip and furnish dilapidated public primary and junior secondary schools, and continue to provide free basic education to our children.

“We will also rehabilitate, equip and furnish as many senior secondary schools as possible across the State, including the provision of new classrooms, perimeter fencing, water and electricity, to provide a conducive environment for effective teaching and learning to take place.

“We shall work with the school-based management boards, administrators, parents and teachers to fix our broken school system, improve enrollments, keep learners in school, promote effective teaching, and improve learning outcomes.”

Fubara said with the proposed N97.750 billion for the health sector, representing 14.4% of the budget, all zonal hospitals, the upgraded neuropsychiatric hospital, and the new general hospital at Rumuigbo under reconstruction will be completed to provide quality and affordable healthcare services to the people of the State.

He also assured of rehabilitating more general hospitals and health centres across the state, ensuring the procurement of essential drugs, medical supplies and equipment for effective and efficient healthcare delivery, while also providing more infrastructure to strengthen the capacity of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital for quality, effective, and efficient tertiary healthcare services.

On Road and Transport Infrastructure, Governor Fubara said over N195 billion has been earmarked to complete all ongoing road projects and initiate new ones, support and facilitate the modernisation of the public transport system through necessary incentives to improve the quality of public transportation services in the State.

Fubara assured that all ongoing electrification projects, including delivering transformers and replacing the generator-powered streetlights with solar energy-powered streetlights across Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas, will be concluded and restated the determination to ensure the passage of the Rivers State Electricity Market Bill to regulate and open the State’s energy sector for private sector investments in order to achieve energy security and accelerate the industrialization of Rivers State.

He said, “In Social Development and Investments, Mr Speaker, we have proposed to spend N15.4 billion for the social development subsector of our economy to advance youth and gender empowerment, jobs and wealth creation, sports development, and social inclusion.

“We will collaborate with Local Government Councils to establish youth resource and digital transformation centres to enable access to digital tools, Internet services and training programmes for our youths to become economically successful and sufficiently self-reliant.

“We will also continue to support and strengthen the capacity of state-owned sporting teams, especially Rivers United, Rivers Angels, and the Hoopers, to enable them to excel and win more laurels in both national, regional and international contests.”

Fubara, who said the 2025 will be funded from FAAC, Internally Generated Revenue, Statutory Allocations, Mineral Funds, Valued Added Tax, Refunds/Escrow/ECA and others, explained that the 2014 budget performed excellently with the IGR figure hitting N100billion increase over the 2023 figure.

In his speech, the Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, Victor Oko-Jumbo, applauded Fubara for recording over N100 billion increase in IGR, which he said shows a high level of transparency and accountability in governance, with the plugging of financial leakage, adding that it is also a testament to how attractive Rivers investment climate has become.

Oko-Jumbo pledged the continual support of the Legislature to the executive to ensure that the governor remains focused, sustains financial prudence, delivers democratic dividends, and to make life better for the people.

Related Topics:Fubara Rivers Rivers budget

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‘Nigeria Proud Way Tinubu Was Buried’ – Akpabio Goofs

Published

4 hours ago

July 23, 2025

Editor

Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Wednesday goofed while commending President Bola Tinubu over his role in the burial of his predecessor, the late former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Speaking on the floor of the Senate, Akpabio said Nigeria is proud of the way “Tinubu was honored and buried.”

Buhari died in London on July 13 and was flown back to Daura, Katsina State, where he was buried on July 15.

Upon arrival in Daura, Tinubu had led a federal government delegation to receive Buhari’s corpse at the airport. The president was present during the state burial accorded to Buhari.

Speaking, Akpabio said: “The whole country is very proud of what this administration has done in the way and manner President Bola Tinubu was honoured and was buried. President Buhari was honoured and buried rather.

“Distinguish Senator Ningi, you also observed that President Bola Tinubu will not be forgotten for what he did during the burial ceremony of Buhari.

“In the Senate, we are also determined to ensure that in our books, the records say he should also have this valedictory, despite all said and done.”

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NAFDAC Uncovers Warehouse Loaded With Explosive Chemicals In Kano

Published

4 hours ago

July 23, 2025

Editor

A massive cache of industrial chemicals believed to be capable of producing explosives has been discovered and sealed by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Kano State.

The facility, located in Kwakwachi within Fagge Local Government Area, reportedly housed 88,560 litres of hazardous substances—including highly concentrated sulphuric and nitric acids.

Speaking to journalists during an inspection of the site on Wednesday, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, described the discovery as deeply alarming.

Prof. Adeyeye was represented at the scene by Dr. Martins Iluyomade, the agency’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement.

According to Iluyomade, the warehouse was holding 60,000 litres of sulphuric acid (at 90.5% concentration) and 28,560 litres of nitric acid (at 68% concentration). Also discovered were 330 empty jerricans—evidence that some of the chemicals had already been distributed to unknown individuals.

“What we have seen here is mind-boggling, I don’t think I have ever seen this quantity of concentrated nitric and sulphuric acid together in one place like this before,” Adeyeye said.

She explained that it was NAFDAC officials who, acting on a tip-off, traced the warehouse and found it operational. However, only a single staff member—the warehouse manager—was present at the time of the raid. He was immediately taken into custody.

NAFDAC said the person listed as the warehouse’s owner is not recognized as a licensed chemical marketer, which raises further red flags about the nature of the business being conducted.

“The owner is not listed as a chemical marketer. We keep a database to monitor the importation, use, and disposal of such chemicals. These acids are controlled chemicals that are not to be handled by just anybody,” she said.

Adeyeye stressed that importing this category of chemicals is a highly regulated process. It requires security clearance and permits, none of which were available in this case.

“Importing such chemicals requires clearance from the National Security Adviser and permits, none of which the owner possessed.”

“Permit and clearance is important because these chemicals are used to manufacture explosives.”

The volume of substances found in the warehouse, she noted, posed a grave threat to public safety.

“The volume we have here is enough to destroy the whole of Kano if mishandled,” she warned.

With the prime suspect still at large, NAFDAC said it has begun interrogating the arrested warehouse manager to uncover the chain of custody and determine the final destination of the chemicals.

Prof. Adeyeye further assured the public that the seized chemicals would be destroyed in accordance with environmental and safety regulations to prevent any misuse.

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Nigerians Can Vote You Out In 2027 – Baba-Ahmed Warns Tinubu

Published

4 hours ago

July 23, 2025

Editor

Former presidential aide, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has warned that Nigerians have the power to vote out President Bola Tinubu in 2027 if the election is free and fair.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, Baba-Ahmed said the President should focus less on political calculations and more on governance, noting that the electorate will ultimately judge him based on his performance in office.

“The bottom line is that Nigerians are going to say, ‘What have you done with the first four years we gave you?’” he said. “Don’t take us for granted. We can vote you out if the election is free and fair. So show us what you’ve done.”

Baba-Ahmed, who resigned from his government appointment about three months ago, made the remarks while reacting to speculation about a plan to drop Vice President Kashim Shettima as Tinubu’s running mate in 2027.

He criticised the President’s silence on the rumours, arguing that Tinubu should have personally addressed the issue if it were truly baseless.

“If all these stories about dropping the Vice President have absolutely no iota of truth, it would have taken just one thing: the President directly and personally saying, ‘Stop this nonsense. I have confidence in my Vice President. I work well with him. I am happy with him. And I want this nonsense about me dropping him, now or in the future, to stop,’” he said.

According to Baba-Ahmed, Tinubu’s failure to make such a declaration leaves room for suspicion. “His people didn’t say that. He didn’t say that. So, I would be very curious to find out what it is that makes all these stories about dropping him,” he added.

He concluded by stressing that leadership must be accountable and measurable. “It’s a governance thing that you will take to the electorate at the end. It doesn’t matter what you think you’ve done—all the defections to your party. Nigerians will decide.”