City Crime

FUBARA PRESENTS N1.188TRN AS 2025 BUDGET TO RSHA

Published

2 years ago

December 31, 2024

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has presented N1.188 trillion as budgetary estimate for the year 2025 to the State House of Assembly for consideration and approval.

This figure is an increase from the 2024 budget of N800 billion that was presented in 2023 to the Assembly.

Governor Fubara presented the 2025 Appropriation Bill shortly after delivering his address to lawmakers at the Assembly Auditorium, Administrative Block of Government House in Port Harcourt on Monday.

He said the 2025 budget christened: “Budget of Inclusive Growth and Development”, will be implemented to achieve sustainable economic growth, accelerate the development of the State, while improving the living standards of all residents in the State.

Governor Fubara explained that with the set out objectives, the 2025 budget will strengthen the capacity of the State to weather possible external shocks from the volatility of the national economy while building a resilient economy that will advance the collective development and prosperity of the people.

He said, “The total projected revenue for Rivers State for the 2025 Fiscal Year is N1,188,962,739,932.36.

Two components of the budget are constituted as follows: Recurrent Expenditure of N462,254,153,418.98; Capital Expenditure of N678,088,433,692.03; Planning Reserve of N35,688,864,931.16; and a closing balance of N12,931,287,890.1935. This gives a Recurrent/Capital Expenditure ratio of 44:56%, indicating the sincere commitment of our administration to both infrastructural and human capital development of our people and state.”

Governor Fubara said nearly N31 billion has been allocated to support interventions in agricultural development to ease the implementation of a comprehensive agriculture transformation and support programme for Rivers youths in order to significantly resolve issues of youth unemployment and poverty.

He emphasised that the commitment is also to address food insecurity in Rivers State, provide land preparation, farm inputs and extension services, including training, tractors, and access to improved seedlings and fertilizers to farmers to enhance their productivity and farm yields.

In education, Governor Fubara assured that his administration will continue to provide access to quality education at all levels, enabling Rivers children have the knowledge and skills they need to excel in their careers and contribute to the development of the State.

The Governor said, “Consequently, we have proposed to spend over N63 billion, representing 9.3% of the budget on education in fiscal year 2025. With this, we shall access all outstanding matching grants from the Universal Basic Education Commission to rehabilitate, equip and furnish dilapidated public primary and junior secondary schools, and continue to provide free basic education to our children.

“We will also rehabilitate, equip and furnish as many senior secondary schools as possible across the State, including the provision of new classrooms, perimeter fencing, water and electricity, to provide a conducive environment for effective teaching and learning to take place.

“We shall work with the school-based management boards, administrators, parents and teachers to fix our broken school system, improve enrollments, keep learners in school, promote effective teaching, and improve learning outcomes.”

Governor Fubara said with the proposed N97.750 billion for the health sector, representing 14.4% of the budget, all zonal hospitals, the upgraded neuropsychiatric hospital, and the new general hospital at Rumuigbo under reconstruction will be completed to provide quality and affordable healthcare services to the people of the State.

He also assured of rehabilitating more general hospitals, health centres across the State, ensure the procurement of essential drugs, medical supplies and equipment for effective and efficient healthcare delivery, while also providing more infrastructure to strengthen the capacity of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital for quality, effective, and efficient tertiary healthcare services.

On Road and Transport Infrastructure, Governor Fubara said over N195 billion has been earmarked to complete all ongoing road projects and initiate new ones, support and facilitate the modernization of the public transport system through necessary incentives to improve the quality of public transportation services in the State.

Governor Fubara assured that all ongoing electrification projects, including delivering transformers and replacing the generator-powered streetlights with solar energy-powered streetlights across Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas will be concluded, and restated the determination to ensure the passage of the Rivers State Electricity Market Bill to regulate and open the State’s energy sector for private sector investments in order to achieve energy security and accelerate the industrialization of Rivers State.

He said, “In Social Development and Investments, Mr Speaker, we have proposed to spend N15.4 billion for the social development subsector of our economy to advance youth and gender empowerment, jobs and wealth creation, sports development, and social inclusion.

“We will collaborate with Local Government Councils to establish youth resource and digital transformation centres to enable access to digital tools, Internet services and training programmes for our youths to become economically successful and sufficiently self-reliant.

“We will also continue to support and strengthen the capacity of State-owned sporting teams, especially Rivers United, Rivers Angels, and the Hoopers to enable them excel and win more laurels in both national, regional and international contests.”

Governor Fubara, who said the 2025 will be funded from FAAC, Internally Generated Revenue, Statutory Allocations, Mineral Funds, Valued Added Tax, Refunds/Escrow/ECA and others, explained that the 2014 budget performed excellently with IGR figure hitting N100billion increase over the 2023 figure.

In his speech, Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Victor Oko-Jumbo, applauded Governor Fubara for recording over N100 billion increase in IGR, which shows high level of transparency and accountability in governance, with the plugging of financial leakage, adding that it is also a testament to how attractive Rivers investment climate has become.

Rt Hon Oko-Jumbo pledged the continual support of the Legislature to the Excutive to ensure that the Governor remained focused, sustain financial prudence, deliver democratic dividends, and make life better for the people.

City Crime

Tinubu Appoints Ex-Tide Staff Registrar Of Chartered Chemists

Published

1 week ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

A former staff of the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, publisher of The Tide Newspapers, Idongpee Akwaowo Reuben, has been appointed the Acting Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria (ICCON) by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Akwaowo’s appointment follows the expiration of the second tenure of the former Registrar, Chemist Jwalshik Wilford.

According to a letter released from the office of the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare dated August 5, 2026, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said the appointment was with immediate effect.

The minister had earlier announced Akwaowo’s appointment during a meeting with the Permanent Secretary, Heads of Departments, and Directors in June 10, 2026 in the Minister’s Conference Room.

He said the appointment was automatic and effective 1st June, 2026 following the satisfactory handover that followed the succession procedure.

The Minister nullified the earlier process put in place for a substantive appointment, citing it as a contravention of the provision of the ICCON Act.

He further directed that the appointment letter be issued without further delay.

The Minister admonished the new ICCON Chief Executive to take charge and ensure that the Institute is on the path of peace and progress to deliver her mandates.

In his response, Akwaowo thanked the the Federal Government for the appointment which, he said, has laid every uncertainty surrounding the leadership of the Institute to rest.

He pledged his unalloyed loyalty to the Federal Government and the Minister and promised to work with his Management Team to align with the policy directives of the Ministry as well as the renewed hope agenda of the Federal Government.

Akwaowo joined ICCON in 2005 as a pioneer staff, rose through the ranks and served in many capacities transcending virtually all the departments in the Institute including HOD, Administration/Accounts & Finance.

Most recently, he served as the pioneer Team Lead and the Registrar/CEO Representative in the National Chemical Personnel Audit excercise to Chemical companies and Chemistry Departments in Tertiary Institutions as part of the Institute’s regulatory mandates.

He has attended several courses and workshops and represented the Institute at various conferences and fora.

Akwaowo is a Chartered Chemist and also a member of a number of professional bodies.

He rose to the rank of Director, Scientific in 2025, and was until his appointment, the Coordinator, Zonal Offices of ICCON.

City Crime

Bayelsa Water Coys Raise Alarm Over Business Threats …Set To Resist Multiple Levies Amid High Production Cost

Published

1 week ago

August 10, 2026

The Tide

The Bayelsa State branch of the Association of Table Water Producers of Nigeria(ATWAP), have raised alarm over what it described as existential threats to doing business in the State.

Speaking with newsmen in Yenagoa, the State capital last week, Chairman of the State’s branch of ATWAP who is also the National Public Relations Officer(PRO) of the Association, Mr Chris Erefinyo said due to high cost of raw materials and other engineering components needed for packaging of finished products, many firms in the State have shut down operations in the past.

Erebinyo the Producer of St. Ace Table Water alleged that more firms may soon join the closed down water producing industries in the coming weeks due to multiple levies imposed on them by government ministries and departmental agencies(MDAs) of the State.

The Bayelsa ATWAP boss said member firms of the association were major contributors to Government’s revenue, adding that table water producers are integral employers of labour and support government in reducing unemployment problems.

While further linking the bane of water firms to the recent Federal Government’s plan to ban the use of ‘single-use-plastics’ for packaging products, including table water, the State Chairman contended that if Government’s planned action takes effect it would aggravate unemployment crisis nationwide as well as increase the spate of water-born diseases, among others.

“Table Water production business in Bayelsa in particular and Nigeria in general is facing existential threats. In Bayelsa State our greatest problem is multiple taxation from various MDAs of the State Government.

“But one thing these multiple tax collectors don’t put into consideration is that we’ve curb the problems of joblessness and unemployment. The smallest ATWAP firm has no fewer than 20 staff members working to earn a living.

“Apart from paying tax to the Bayelsa State Internal Revenue Board, others have also imposed levies on water factories in this state. When the late Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo was alive, we made him know our challenges, but our complains haven’t been attended to before he died”, he said.

Reacting to the ongoing attempts by some State Governments to outlaw the use of single-use-plastics in line with the Federal Government’s proposed ban, the State’s ATWAP helmsman restated that the national leadership of the association would continue to resist the plan, while also engaging stakeholders on the socioeconomic implications of the intended action.

He reaffirmed the commitment of water producers in the State towards the production of standard, portable and clean water for consumption, noting that most firms deploy a technology called ”Reversed Osmosis” for purification, treatment and production of their products due to the high content of iron and saline in the State’s water bodies.

The association leader said in addition to the kind of equipment firms deploye in producing water in the State, ATWAP leadership periodically embarks on routine inspections of firms based in the State to enforce what is known as ‘Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).

“As an association, just like we’ve resisted attempts by the Federal, the Lagos and Oyo States’ Governments in destroying Table Water business with their planned bans, we’ll also do the same in Bayelsa State if the Government doesn’t call their MDAs to order with a view to directing them to desist forthwith from imposing multiple levies on us”, he added.

Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

City Crime

Withdraw Social Media Bill Or Face Lawsuit, SERAP Tells NASS

Published

4 weeks ago

July 20, 2026

The Tide

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has asked the National Assembly to immediately withdraw the proposed Nigeria Data Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2026, describing it as a backdoor attempt to regulate social media and expand government control over online expression.

SERAP warned that it would institute legal action if the bill is passed in its current or substantially similar form.

The bill, sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko (APC, Delta North), seeks to compel social media platforms, data controllers and data processors operating in Nigeria to establish physical offices in the country.

It also empowers the Nigeria Data Protection Commission to shut down or prohibit the operations of any entity that fails to comply within 30 days.

In a letter dated July 18, 2026, and addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, SERAP said the proposed amendment posed a threat to constitutionally guaranteed rights.

The letter, signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare and issued on Sunday, read in part, “Requirements compelling technology companies to establish local offices would increase government leverage over platforms, facilitate political pressure, make censorship demands easier and expose local employees to retaliation.

“The Bill would create sweeping powers capable of shutting down or excluding social media platforms from the Nigerian market and expose millions of Nigerians to serious violations of their constitutionally and internationally guaranteed human rights.”

SERAP argued that the bill revives previous attempts to regulate social media that attracted widespread public opposition.

“The current Bill revives substantially similar proposals previously introduced by Senator Nwoko, raising renewed concerns that localisation requirements are being used as a vehicle for expanding governmental control over digital platforms and online expression,” it said.

The organisation warned that it would challenge the legislation in court if enacted.

“Should the Bill be enacted into law in its current or substantially similar form, SERAP shall promptly take all appropriate legal actions to challenge its legality in the public interest and to ensure that Nigerians’ fundamental rights are fully protected,” the letter stated.

According to SERAP, the proposed legislation would give the Nigeria Data Protection Commission excessive powers to block digital platforms without adequate procedural safeguards.

“The Bill constitutes a backdoor attempt to regulate social media and increase governmental control over online expression through corporate localisation requirements rather than through transparent and constitutionally permissible regulation,” it said.

The group argued that the bill lacks provisions for prior judicial authorisation, meaningful opportunities for compliance beyond the proposed 30-day period, and safeguards to protect the rights of millions of Nigerians who rely on digital platforms.

SERAP also cited the judgment of the ECOWAS Court of Justice on Nigeria’s suspension of Twitter, arguing that the proposed amendment could produce similar consequences by indirectly excluding social media platforms from operating in the country.

“The Bill also risks recreating the very dangers previously condemned by the ECOWAS Court of Justice. In SERAP and Others v. Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Court held that the suspension of Twitter violated the rights to freedom of expression, access to information and media freedom protected under the African Charter.

“Although the present Bill differs from the Twitter suspension in form, it creates the possibility of achieving the same result indirectly by empowering regulators to prohibit digital platforms from operating in Nigeria.

“The National Assembly should not enact legislation capable of producing, through indirect regulatory means, the very restrictions on fundamental rights that regional human rights law prohibits,” the organisation said.

It maintained that while governments have a legitimate interest in regulating digital platforms, such measures must comply with constitutional guarantees and international human rights standards.

The organisation further warned that mandatory localisation requirements would increase compliance costs for technology companies, startups, educational institutions and artificial intelligence developers.

“The proposed amendment conflicts directly with the objectives of the Nigeria Startup Act 2022 and the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy.

“Mandatory localisation requirements substantially increase compliance costs, particularly for startups, open-source projects, educational institutions, research organisations, AI developers and smaller technology companies, while reducing Nigeria’s attractiveness as a destination for innovation and investment.

“No major democratic jurisdiction requires every social media platform to establish a physical office as a blanket precondition for providing services.”

SERAP added, “The National Assembly should immediately reject and withdraw the Bill, as it is manifestly incompatible with the Nigerian Constitution and Nigeria’s obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”