Business

Dickson Proposes N150bn Appropriation Bill For 2016

Published

11 years ago

January 20, 2016

Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson on Friday presented a N150 billion Appropriation Bill tagged Budget of Transition for the 2016 fiscal year, as against N250bn passed into law in 2015 to the State House of Assembly.
The recurrent expenditure as presented to the State House of Assembly for passage into law, stands at N43bn and capital expenditure, N25.4bn.
In his presentation, the governor said the budget would be committed to the completion of ongoing projects in the state.
The projected statutory allocation from the Federation Account, according to the governor, is put at N82.3 billion, capital receipts of N51.2 billion, independent revenue sources of N11 billion, which make up the expected total revenue.
The recurrent expenditure as presented by the governor, is having the highest allocation of N43 billion. This would enable the present administration to keep faith with the payment of workers salaries, regardless of the sharp drop in revenues occasioned by slide in crude oil prices.
Other expenditure items include, consolidated revenue fund charges N61.8 million, overhead of N20.2 billion, while capital expenditure was put at N25.4 billion.
Governor Dickson, who described the provision for capital expenditure for the current fiscal year as the least he has ever presented throughout his first term, however promised to review the allocation in the event of any positive change in the revenues accruing to the state.
In his sectoral breakdown, On sectoral allocations, the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure got the highest allocation of N5.2 billion, education N4 billion, Health N2 billion, Sports N1 billion, Community development N1.7 billion and Agriculture and natural resources N1.3 billion.
The Ministry of Tourism Development got N1.1 billion, Transport N1.1 billion, Housing and Urban Development N1.4 billion part of which the Governor said, would be utilized to build low income residential houses, in partnership with the private sector as land has already been acquired in different parts of the state for that purpose.
Assessing the performance of the 2015 budget of N250 billion comprising an anticipated statutory allocation of N182 billion, capital receipts of N48 billion, Value Added Tax N8.6 billion, Governor Dickson said, what the government received was a far cry from what was projected.
According to him, actual statutory allocation for the 9 months ending at September was N146.5 billion, which he noted was 47% lower than what was budgeted for, VAT N5.3 billion, independent revenue sources N6.2 billion while aids and grants amounted to N1.2 billion

Fyneface Aaron, Yenagoa

Business

FG Approves 4 New Channel Management Firms For Seaports

Published

4 hours ago

October 26, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved four new channel management companies for seaports across the country in a move aimed at improving vessel navigation and port operations.

Speaking at the recently concluded Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Association of Master Mariners (NAMM), former General Manager, Marine and Operations, Capt. Ebubeogu Ihenacho, disclosed that there would be changes in the ownership of the Lagos Channel Management Company Limited and the Bonny Channel Management Company.

According to Ihenacho, the four channels serving Nigeria’s major port clusters will have different channel management companies as approved by the FEC.

He said a new company had been approved to manage the Lagos port channel, with a change of name, while the Calabar Channel would be managed by the Calabar Channel Management Company.

He added that Bonny Channel Management Company had also undergone a change of ownership.

On the Warri Channel, Ihenacho said the Federal Government had approved China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) and two other companies to form a consortium to manage the Escravos Channel.

He said: “For Warri, it was approved for China Harbour Engineering Company, CHEC, and two other companies, who would now form a consortium.

That consortium will now form a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) with the Nigerian Ports Authority to manage the Escravos Channel.”

Recall that the management of the NPA had declined to renew the concessions of the Lagos Channel Management Company Limited and the Bonny Channel Management Company, opting instead for six-month extensions of the existing arrangements.

By; Enoch Epelle

Business

RIRS Warns Against Unauthorised Tax Collection

Published

4 hours ago

October 26, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Internal Revenue Service (RIRS) has warned motorists, transport operators and business owners against paying taxes, levies or charges to Unauthorised persons and organisations, insisting that only the Service and its duly appointed agents are legally empowered to collect taxes on behalf of the state government.

The Service gave the warning in a public notice dated October 21, 2026, signed by its Executive Chairman, Sir Israel O. Egbunefu, FCTI, in which it clarified that the Rivers State Ministry of Transport was not authorised by the state government to collect road tax or any other tax, levy or charge from motorists and transport operators.

RIRS also specifically disowned Explore Strategic Alliance Ltd, located at No. 7 Rumuodaolu Market Road, Port Harcourt, declaring the company had not been appointed or authorised by either the state government or the Service to collect Motor Vehicle Transport (MOT) tickets or any other tax on its behalf.

The revenue agency consequently cautioned members of the public against making payments to the company or any of its staff, stressing that anyone who ignored the warning would do so at their own risk.

It reaffirmed that only the legally authorised agency responsible for tax collection in Rivers State and the appointed agents that would carry out such duties in accordance with the law.

The Service urged taxpayers to demand official identification from anyone claiming to be its tax agent and verify the person’s credentials directly with RIRS before making payments.

It further warned that individuals or groups found impersonating tax consultants, agents or their representatives to collect Unauthorised taxes would be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

RIRS also called on members of the public to report suspicious persons and activities relating to Unauthorised tax collection to the Service for appropriate action.

The agency advised taxpayers seeking clarification or assistance to visit any of its offices or contact it through its official email address, info@riversbirs.gov.ng.

The Service reiterated its commitment to protecting taxpayers, promoting voluntary compliance and safeguarding the integrity of tax administration in Rivers State.

By: King Onunwor

Business

Bayelsa consumers Groan Over Inflation As Traders Remain Helpless Over Low Patronage

Published

5 hours ago

October 26, 2026

The Tide

Consumers and traders at the Swali ultramodern market in Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa State have continued to groan over high prices of commodities and poor Patronage due to cost-push inflation.

The Tide reports that in the past weeks prices of goods and services in Yenagoa metropolis has experienced increase.

Notable services like transportation have also increased lately due to increase in the pump price of fuel that has recently further exacerbated inflation in the prices of staple foods like rice, beans, garri and others.

Speaking with The Tide on a market survey, a trader, Mrs Tovie Barakabo said a bag of bean which sold between N120,000-N130, 000 now goes for N140,000-N145,000.

Mrs Barakabo also hinted that the only commodities whose price has not gone up was price of millet which sells N60,000, while big bag of garri now sells for N30,000.

The Tide further gathered from other inside Source that 25 litres of Kings cooking oil currently sells N75,000 as against the former price of N57,000.

Other commodities such as delicious vegetable oil now goes for N68,000, Pure vegetable oil currently goes for N66, 000, while spaghetti is now N18,800 per bag.

The market survey also discovered that Sonnia tomato mix sells N75,609, while a big and small basket of fresh tomatoes are sold for N30,000 and N6,500 respectively.

A disappointed custom, Mrs Juliet Domo who fielded questions from The Tide expressed her worries over the inflation, calling on government to take decisive stands against inflation.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa