Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has signed the much-anticipated 2026 Appropriation Bill into law, describing it as a “breath of fresh air” for the state.
Fubara signed the bill on Thursday at the State Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The governor expressed optimism that the budget would usher in a new phase of development and cooperation in Rivers State, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to the state’s progress.
He also assured the State House of Assembly of a cordial and cooperative relationship between the executive and legislative arms of government.
Fubara thanked God for making the occasion possible, describing the signing as the beginning of a healthy working relationship between the two arms of government.
He also acknowledged the role of former Rivers State Governor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, in facilitating the meeting and the subsequent progress that led to 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 as an ambitious budget.
Jack said the Assembly subjected the estimates to thorough scrutiny and acted in the best interests of the state, with the expectation that the budget would drive growth and development across Rivers.
Also speaking, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, disclosed that 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 institution where Rivers indigenes have received scholarships from the state government since the previous administration.
According to Amaewhule, part of 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 funds and did not send representatives to appear before the Assembly.
The Speaker said the decision was part of the Assembly’s oversight responsibility to ensure 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.
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 financial figures.
