The Nigerian senate on Wednesday, passed the 2025 budget of Rivers State, to the tune of N1.485 trillion.
The passage came after the third reading of the appropriation bill on the Senate floor.
This came after the upper chamber considered the report of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Rivers State during the Committee of Supply session.
The bill seeks to authorize the issuance of N1,485,662,592,442 from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Rivers State for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025.
According to the approved budget breakdown, N120.8 billion is for debt servicing, N287.38 billion is for recurrent (non-debt) expenditure, and N1.077 trillion is for capital expenditure.
Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central), while supporting the passage of the bill, however, raised a concern regarding the additional 50 billion naira earmarked for the payment of outstanding pensions and gratuities.
The lawmaker charged the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee to carry out more rigorous oversight to ensure that the funds reach the rightful pension beneficiaries without delay.
The Rivers State 2025 budget will now proceed for assent and implementation.
It will be recalled that President Bola Tinubu in May submitted the 2025 Appropriation Bill for Rivers State to the National Assembly for consideration, after the suspension of the state’s House of Assembly.
In a letter addressed to the Senate President, Goodwill Akpabio, the proposed budget totals N1.481 trillion, with major allocations aimed at revitalizing key sectors.
The president also wrote to the House of Representatives for the Rivers State budget approval, reminding the House that the Supreme Court had nullified the 2025 budget presented by suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
