By Sulyman Gobir
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has signed the state’s much-anticipated 2026 Appropriation Bill into law, describing it as a “breath of fresh air” for the state.
Governor Fubara signed the bill on Thursday at the State Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Port Harcourt, expressing optimism that the budget would usher in a new phase of development and cooperation in Rivers State.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the progress and development of the state, while assuring members of the Rivers State House of Assembly of a cordial and cooperative relationship between the executive and legislative arms of government.
The governor thanked God for making the occasion possible, describing the signing as the beginning of a healthy relationship between the two arms of government. He also acknowledged the role played by former Rivers State Governor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, in facilitating the meeting and developments that culminated in the passage and signing of the budget.
Presenting the bill to the governor for assent, the Majority Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Major Jack, described the appropriation bill as an ambitious budget, saying the Assembly subjected the estimates to thorough scrutiny in the interest of the state.
Jack said the lawmakers acted with the best intentions and in the expectation that the budget would stimulate growth and deliver meaningful development across Rivers State.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, disclosed that the lawmakers did not pass the budget exactly as presented by the governor. He said the Assembly reviewed downward the proposed ₦6 billion allocation to PAMO University of Medical Sciences, a private university where Rivers indigenes have benefited from state-sponsored scholarships since the previous administration.
According to Amaewhule, part of the funds removed from the allocation was reassigned to the State Primary Healthcare Development Board after the university’s management failed to provide satisfactory explanations on the utilisation of previous allocations and did not send representatives to appear before the Assembly.
The Speaker said the adjustment was part of the Assembly’s constitutional oversight responsibility aimed at promoting accountability and transparency in the management of public funds.
The 2026 Appropriation Bill, christened the “Budget of Resilience for Growth and Development,” was passed by the Rivers State House of Assembly earlier on Thursday.
Governor Fubara had in July presented a fiscal estimate of ₦1,854,248,734,475.76 to the Assembly. The proposal represented a 24.5 per cent increase over the revised 2025 budget.
