The Rivers State House of Assembly has passed the ₦1.84 trillion 2026 Appropriations Bill into law, following deliberations by the Committee on Supply, which recommended key adjustments before the bill’s final passage.
According to the breakdown presented by the committee, the budget is to be funded through Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of ₦487.6 billion, Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) receipts of ₦936.052 billion, an opening and closing balance of ₦48 billion, proposed internal loans of ₦50 billion, and proceeds from the sale of assets amounting to ₦25 billion.
Sectoral allocations under the budget include ₦262 billion for agriculture, ₦625.8 billion for the economic sector, ₦65 billion for law and justice, and ₦435.4 billion for the social sector.
Presenting the committee’s recommendations, members, including Linda Stewart, Ofiks Kagbang, Enemi George, and Igwe Aforji, proposed that ₦1.4 billion be appropriated to the Primary Health Management Board to rebuild its facility on Accra Street. Total capital expenditure of ₦1.4 trillion was recommended for approval as part of the 2026 Appropriations Bill.
The most contentious issue during deliberations centred on the ₦6 billion allocation earmarked for Pamo University of Medical Sciences, a privately owned institution. Members of the committee questioned whether the sum was excessive, particularly given the lack of clarity on how the funds would be utilised by the university. The controversy deepened when, in the course of the House’s deliberations, a commissioner wrote to the Assembly requesting that the allocation be increased from ₦6 billion to ₦8 billion, describing the initial sum as inadequate.
Lawmakers raised concerns over the absence of accountability from the university regarding previous allocations, noting that Rivers State University (RSU), a public institution, was itself allocated a total budget of ₦6.1 billion, making it difficult to justify granting a similar sum to a privately owned university.
Following the concerns raised, the committee resolved that no further funds should be released to the university until the House is satisfied with adequate accountability measures. This resolution necessitated an amendment and the stepping down of the proposed ₦6 billion allocation to Pamo University pending further investigation.
The House subsequently voted to pass the ₦1.84 trillion budget into law, with the recommended adjustments incorporated into the final Appropriations Bill.
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