The Rivers State House of Assembly has commenced consideration of the state’s N1.8tn 2026 Appropriation Bill, about six weeks after it was presented by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The Assembly gave the bill its second reading during Tuesday’s plenary presided over by the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule.
The bill, titled the “Budget of Resilience for Growth and Development”, was presented to the House by Fubara on July 10.
Moving the motion for the second reading, the House Leader, Major Jack, urged lawmakers to scrutinise the revenue framework and other components of the proposed budget to ensure it supports development across the state.
Leading the debate, the Deputy Speaker, Dumle Maol, described the proposal as ambitious and the largest budget in the history of Rivers State.
Maol, however, urged lawmakers to carefully examine the allocations to ensure that public funds would be applied to their intended purposes.
Other lawmakers who contributed to the debate called for the speedy passage of the bill.
Amaewhule said the House would subject the proposal to detailed legislative scrutiny and oversight to ensure that appropriated funds were judiciously utilised.
He directed the various committees to invite ministries, departments and agencies under the oversight of the Assembly to defend their budget proposals.
The Speaker also said the House would examine non-governmental organisations and other institutions that had received funding or support from the state government.
The Assembly subsequently adjourned plenary until September 3 to continue consideration of the budget.
