RVHA Okays N510bn 2018 State Budget …Approves Request To Reconstitute RSIEC

The Rivers State House of Assembly finally approved the 2018 Appropriation Bill, including the Re-enactment of Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) Bill 2018, Rivers State Local Government Repeal and Re-enactment Bill of 2018 and Kenule Beeson Polytechnic Bill of 2017.
The House had conducted a marathon sitting of over four hours to ensure that the bills which had been committed to Committee and Public hearings got Third Readings yesterday.
On the Appropriation Bill, the legislators voted in unison to approve the N510 billion budget proposal for 2018. The Speaker had described the action of the lawmakers as a “sacrifice” for the state.
Giving a run down of the bill, the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani described the budget as a balanced one in the sense that it covers both capital and recurrent expenditures appropriately.
According to him, out of the N510 billion proposed, N23 billion was earmarked for the Administrative sector, Economic Sector got N123.4 billion, Law/Justice got N4.3 billion and Social Sector had N150 billion.
Based on the recommendation of the House Appropriation Committee comprising all House Standing Committees, the recurrent expenditure of N130 billion and capital expenditure of N379 billion were found appropriate for the overall benefit of the state.
In the words of the Speaker, “the people of Rivers State will be better served”, as he further pointed out that, “the state is aiming to become self reliant with improved Internally generated revenue which is the major source of funding the budget at about 60 per cent.
Rt. Hon. Ibani expressed hope that with the passage of the bill, “the era of going cap in hand is over”.
On the Keunle Saro Wiwa Polytechnic Bill of 2017, the law seeks to repeal and re-enact some subsisting laws, especially law No. 6 which provides for the functions, management and staffing of the institution with existing laws.
With the bill passed into law, the Polytechnic will now operate as others in the country with two Deputy Rectors, one for admin and another for academics.
The new RSIEC Bill (HA10) 2018 as passed by the legislators is aimed at aligning the commission with the Federal Electoral laws.
The lawmakers recommended that members of the commission should be apolitical with a tenure of five years, and after taking votes of members on the floor, 20 lawmakers gave nod to the new RSIEC law and assured that all inconsistencies as recorded in the old law would be removed.
Meanwhile, the House yesterday approved request by the governor to remove some members of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
The request sought to remove Dr. Chimaroke Mgba, Mgbana Martins, Tombo Johnson, Kingsley Obudibo and Dr. Juliet Berewari as members of RSIEC.
The lawmakers voted in support of the Governor’s request, as the Majority Leader, Hon. Martin Amawehule cited Section 201 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended), which gives the governor powers to hire and fire based on 2/3 approval of the House.
Speaker, Rt. Hon. Ibani observed that if the Commissioners have been found wanting, then, the House will do the needful, “an umpire should not be partisan for an electoral body to conduct an election it must be seen as above board”.