By James Adamu
The Senate on Tuesday revealed that the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, and other key functionaries would defend the state’s 2025 budget before the Joint National Assembly Ad-hoc Committee on Implementation of Emergency Rule in Rivers State.
The Senate also assured Nigerians that it had determined to ensure the people of Rivers State “are not short-changed due to the declaration of emergency rule by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on March 18.”
The Leader of the Senate/Chairman, Senate Ad-hoc Committee to Oversee Emergency Rule in Rivers State, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele, made the disclosure at the inaugural meeting of the committee held in Abuja on Tuesday.
After President Tinubu declared the emergency rule in Rivers State, President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, had subsequently constituted an 18-member Committee on Emergency Rule under the chairmanship of Bamidele.
Among others, the inaugural meeting was attended by Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Tahir Munguno; Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Peter Nwebonyi; Chairman, Senate Committee on Land Transport, Senator Adamu Aliero; Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Sani Musa; Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions, Senator Adetokunbo Abiru and Chairperson, Senate Committee on Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Senator Oluranti Adebule.
At the inaugural meeting on Tuesday, Bamidele revealed that both chambers of the National Assembly had agreed to hold a joint session to oversee the 2025 budget of the state, which the sole administrator laid before the parliament last week through President Tinubu.
Bamidele, representing Ekiti Central in the Senate, assured Nigerians that the National Assembly “is determined to work closely with members of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee to Oversee Emergency Rule in Rivers State to ensure financial propriety and good governance.
“It is our understanding with our colleagues in the House of Representatives that the sole administrator and other relevant functionaries of the state will all appear the joint ad-hoc committee of both chambers of the National Assembly when it is time for them to defend the 2025 the budget at the National Assembly,” Bamidele said with assurance to provide effective oversight in the state.
He, further, noted that the inaugural meeting “is a necessary ritual to enable the committee carry out its assignment and mandate. The committee will guarantee that the democratic rule will continue to function in Rivers State despite the declaration of emergency rule.
“The Senate is committed to the rule of law as well as the tenets of democracy. I am also confident in the pedigree of the members of this ad-hoc committee to deliver on the role of oversighting the activities of the sole administrator of Rivers State,” the chairman of the ad-hoc committee further said.
Bamidele, therefore, challenged all members of the committee to be diligent and thorough in providing oversight functions for the Government of Rivers State and ensuring that the citizens of Rivers State are not shortchanged due to the declaration of emergency rule
He noted that the 2025 budget of the Rivers State Government “has been presented to the National Assembly by the Sole Administrator through the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The budget is being referred to our committee.
“The committee has just finalised its work plan as well as the timetable that will ensure proper budget defence by the sole administrator of Rivers State. The budget defence will involve other state officials of the state, especially the Accountant-General of Rivers State, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance and relevant officials in charge of the economy of the state
“As much as possible, the National Assembly will ensure propriety in the discharge of our oversight functions. We will also ensure that governance does not suffer in Rivers State during the period of emergency rule,” Bamidele further assured Nigerians.
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