Victor Ezeja
AdminGovernor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State on Wednesday presented the N800bn budget estimate for the 2024 fiscal year to Edison Ehie-led group at the Government House the same time that the House of Assembly complex at Moscow Road in Port Harcourt was being demolished.
The presentation of the budget was held at a hall in the Government House, apparently, due to the “renovation” work at the state assembly complex which started Wednesday morning. The development comes amid crisis rocking the State House of Assembly.
The Governor was accompanied to the venue by the Secretary to the State Government, Tammy Danagogo, Commissioner for Finance, Isaac Kamalu, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson, and other members of his cabinet.
Prime Business Africa recalls that the Rivers State Executive Council (SEC) had, during an emergency meeting on Monday, approved the sum of N800billion for the 2024 budget tagged, ‘Budget of Renewed Hope, Consolidation and Continuity’.
The Commissioner for Information, Johnson, who briefed after the council meeting alongside the Secretary to the State Government, said the proposal was debated together with the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, as presented by the Commissioner for Finance, Isaac Kamalu.
The Commissioner listed infrastructure, education, health and security as the areas with the highest budgetary votes.
The Secretary to the State Government, Tammy Danagogo, on his part, said the details of the projections were thoroughly discussed before arriving at the estimate.
He said the budget proposal, as the title implies is aimed at giving a new hope to the people and consolidate on the gains of the state, especially in infrastructure and human capital developments.
Only yesterday, a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt ordered the factional Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Edison Ehie, to preside over the activities of the legislative arm of the state pending the determination of a motion before it.
Justice M.W. Danagogo gave the order yesterday while ruling on an experte motion filed by the Rivers State House of Assembly. Edison Ehie. Martin Amaewhule and Dumle Maol are listed as 1st and 2nd defendants in the suit, respectively.
Part of Edison’s prayers before the court include an order mandating Amaewhule and others (who are loyalists of former Governor Nyesom Wike) to stop entering the state assembly complex until the burnt hallowed chamber is fully renovated by the government.
Edison also wants the court to order that he lawfully takes over the speakership of the state assembly until the matter is dispensed, praying that Amaewhule should be stopped from conducting himself as the Speaker of the House.
However, the court, in an interim order, granted the requests of the applicant, urging Amaewhule and others to stop using the Assembly premises following the directive of Governor Siminalayi Fubara that the facility was still under renovation.
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