Preparing The Path For The Eventual Representation Of The 2024 Budget

By PHC Telegraph

 

Barring any last moment change of heart, all may now be truly set for the Siminalayi Fubara administration to represent the 2024 budget to the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Both sides, according to what sources close to Government House and the Rivers State House of Assembly are saying, are steadily preparing to fulfill their statutory roles in respect of the submission and passage of the Appropriation Bill.

Fubara had presented the budget earlier, but the presentation was made during the face-off which broke out last year before a House of not more than four members.

Speculations are increasingly rife in government circles that Sim Fubara would represent the 2024 budget any time from now.

From all indications, all encumberances standing in the way of the restoration of formal ties between the executive and the legislative arm have been overcome.

In line with the agreement that both sides to the Rivers political crisis are commitedly implementing, the matter filed by Edison Ehie against the 26 lawmakers who went over to the APC has been struck out.

Ehie’s counsel, Mac-Barango Esq., presented a ‘Notice of Discontinuance’ by his client and formally requested the High Court to take judicial note of the request. The move was not opposed by the defendants.

 

On its part, the Assembly had weeks ago, rolled back its plan to impeach Governor Fubara

In December, the State Government recognized the leadership of the House of Assembly under the able hand of Speaker Martins Amaewhule and similarly paid all outstanding allowances due to state lawmakers.

These steps conceived as part of the peace deal are helping in no small measure to clear some of the misconceptions of the last few months.

Despite the initial suspicion which dogged the adoption of the eight – point agenda proposed by Nigeria’s President, many in Rivers State agree that the pathway to a new thinking and a new beginning built on mutual respect and understanding is being created.

When Fubara approaches the House, clutching the State’s budget, all serving lawmakers, 30 of them, would be seated at plenary to receive the appropriation bill.

It will not be time when lawmakers will worry about who amongst them is in the opposition or who in their midst is on the side of the government.

It would be a time when lawmakers, regardless of their political leanings, will be expected to act in the overall interest of the State and its people.

The Rivers Government is projecting to spend eight hundred billion naira this fiscal year primarily on security, education, health and human capital development as well as agriculture and the provision of much needed infrastructure.

A breakdown of the figures shows that the State would spend N412 billion on capital expenditure while N361 billion would be expended on recurrent expenditure.

Underscoring the emphasis that is placed on physical development, infrastructure has the highest allocation of N128 billion, followed by education, health and security.

“Rivers people would be expecting a robust engagement between the House and the Government”, said a Rivers businessman, “The welfare of the masses is paramount at this stage, and a budget will be required to point the direction of the Rivers economy.”

Speaking after the State Executive Council approved the budget, the Secretary to the State Government, Tammy Danagogo said, “We believe, by the time it gets to the state House of Assembly, the public will be made to see and understand all the projections and fundamentals.”

Information at the disposal of this publication indicates that both arms of government are seemingly getting ready for what appears to be the implementation of the next phase of the peace deal.

So are the people of the State who are anxious to put away unpleasant memories of the rivalry which occurred late last year between Governor Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barrister Nyesom Wike as they march boldly into a new year of renewed hope and progress.