Rivers Assembly To Pass 2012 Budget, Soon

The Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly Rt Hon Otelemaba Amachree has given indication that the state 2012 appropriation bill, may be passed soon.

This followed the submission of reports by the chairmen of the 31 sub committees that studied the proposals of the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government in two separate sittings of the House on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The speaker who gave this assurance on Wednesday after receiving the reports which were adopted by the House for onward transmission to the Appropriation Committee.

Hon Amachree gave the Appropriation Committee one week to present their report to the entire House for consideration and possible passage of the bill.

He, therefore, appealed to the committee members to work assiduously and discharge their responsibilities within the shortest time possible to enable the lawmakers conclude with the budget proposal.

The house also received a letter from the state governor Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi formally requesting the lawmakers to grant approval for a N100 billion loan from  capital market.

Explaining the rational behind the governor’s communication to the House, the leader Hon Chidi Julius Lloyd, said the earlier approval to that effect by the sixth Assembly has been extinguished since it was made before the laws were passed.

Hon Lloyd representing Emohua constituency noted that the loan was not taken because the law authorizing such transaction were not in place until the seventh Assembly completed the process with the passage of the relevant laws.

The House unanimously voted in favour of the resolution to allow the state government access bonds for the development of infrastructural facilities in the state.