Niger Delta
C’River Assembly Approves N642bn Supplementary Budget
The Cross River House of Assembly has passeda total sum of N642,160,260,164.66 as 2025 supplementary budget for the state.
It would be recalled that the house, on Dec. 24 2024, passed the 2025 Appropriation Bill, tagged “Budget of Sustainable Growth”, totalling over N538 billion.
The supplementary budget shows a variance of about N142 billion, representing 26 per cent increase over the initial budget.
Presenting the report, Wednesday, the Chairman of the Assembly’s Finance and Appropriation Committee, Okon Owuna, said the addition was to accommodate several critical expenditures that were not captured in the original 2025 budget.
Owuna said the development had provided the fiscal space to introduce additional expenditures across critical sectors.
He also said that the supplementary budget introduced an upward adjustment across sectors like administration, economic, law and justice, among others.
“The key factors necessitating the supplementary budget include new obligations and emergency spending not captured in the original budget.
“There are also recently approved strategic programmes requiring immediate financial backing and improved outlook from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), internal grants and state shares from Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
“The budget will be financed from IGR, Aids and Grants and FAAC,” he said.
In separate reactions, other lawmakers said that the approval of the supplementary budget was necessitated by Gov. Bassey Otu’s commitment to infrastructure development in the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.
Speaker of the House, Elvert Ayambem, remarked that the supplementary budget was for the welfare of citizens of the state.
Ayambem further said that projects in all the LGAs had been duly captured with a view to transforming the state.
Continue Reading
The Cross River State Government has procured two new aircraft to increase the fleet of Cally Air to four.
Vice President, Kassim Shettima, inaugurated the two new aircraft at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar, recently.
Speaking at the inauguration, Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, said the state government planned to increase the fleet of Cally Air to seven.
“We already have two aircraft that are flying, we are adding another two today, and very soon, we shall add another three to make it seven,” he said.
Otu said that his administration was strongly building on three areas of development earlier initiated by his predecessors.
He named the threes areas as tourism, rural development and industrialisation.
“I came into government to meet three engines that were started by my predecessors. The first engine is tourism which was begun by Donald Duke.
“I also saw rural development which was anchored by Liyel Imoke, and I saw industrialisation which was started by Prof. Ben Ayade.
“The plans of these leaders were to move the state away from dependency on the centre.
“When I came into office, I saw the reason to integrate these three engines in order to create a robust economy that can take the state to another level
“Today, we are building on the aviation sector which is very key to our tourism development target,” he said.
The governor added that the Cross River Government was keying into President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda as a way of promoting economic growth and citizens’ wellbeing.
Recall that two aircraft earlier procured for the take-off of the Cross River-owned Cally Air are currently being managed by ValueJet pending the issuance of operating license.
Deputy Governor, Edo State, Dennis Idahosa, has said that the Monday Okpebholo-led administration would open up riverine communities in the state for sustainable development.
Idahosa stated this during the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign for Aug.16 Ovia federal constituency by-election, in Inikorogha, Ovia South West Local Government Area of the state.
The deputy governor told the gathering that the new administration was keen to see development across the nooks and crannies of the state.
According to him, all that is needed from the people is support and patience with the nine months old Okpebholo-led government that hit the ground running immediately after inauguration.
Idahosa who described the Inikorogha community as peace loving, said it has always supported him politically and otherwise.
Adorned in the traditional regalia of the community, Idahosa said, “I have always seen myself as one of your own even before decorating me with this traditional attire.
“All I need from you is massive votes in support for the APC candidate and our governor on Saturday,” he appealed.
He assured the community that the APC candidate would join the good work of the party as the representative of the constituency.
“Our candidate, Omosede Igbinedion, is not a neophyte in the business of lawmaking. The party chose her because we are sure of her capacity to deliver”.
While addressing the people, the APC candidate promised to synergise with the deputy governor and the state government to bring laudable projects to Ovia federal constituency.
A chieftain of the party in the community, Okubo Robert, promised to mobilize support for APC to ensure he emerges victorious at the poll.
While noting the community’s continued support to the APC in previous elections, Robert expressed optimism that Saturday’s by-election would not be different but yield the desired results.
A United Kingdom (UK) based Bayelsa State Activist, Warmate Imgbi, has alleged that a Niger Delta Militant group, ‘Supreme Egbesu Liberation Fighters’ have placed a N25m bounty on his life following his continued criticisms of their activities in the oil rich region.
He alleged that trouble started when he condemned the latter’s activities connected to illegal oil bunkering and other nefarious acts in Bayelsa and neighbouring Delta States.
In a Press Statement made available to Newsmen, Imgbi said the Militants view his vocal environmental advocacy as a threat to their illegal and nefarious activities, hence were hell-bent on eliminating him.
The UK-based environmentalist noted that the militants, have in recent months, been tracking him via his verified X account where he has been highlighting the dangers of crude oil theft and unregulated refining in the Niger Delta region.
In his words “A certain militant leader, ‘General Simple’ has been cyber-bulling me very often. He showed me images and reports of my condemnation of their illegal and hazardous environmental activities they’re engaged in in the Niger Delta region. I’ve said time without number that they’ve been causing environmental degradation, oil spills, and pollution of water sources which are affecting thousands of residents.
“They threatened me, saying I’ve been undermining their operations. Even moreso, recently my family members based in parts of Bayelsa State have previously suffered attacks with their properties vandalised by armed men believed to be linked to the group.
“The Supreme Egbesu Liberation Fighters operate in the creeks of Bayelsa and neighbouring Delta States with a history of violent attacks and property destruction. In 2021, the Supreme Egbesu militants group had threatened to carry out attacks in Lagos and Abuja”.
According to him, illegal oil bunkering remains a thriving black-market trade in the Niger Delta, causing massive economic losses to Nigeria and long-term damage to the environment.
The Human rights activist therefore called on both the Nigerian and UK governments to take immediate steps to ensuring his safety.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the State Police Command, ASP Musa Mohammed and his counterpart from the State’s Command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Diri Ogbere, stated that the activist has not officially briefed their commands of the alleged threats to his life due to his criticism of their illegal oil and environmental related hazards.
The duo, however, noted that their Commands, in partnership with sister security formations have been working relentlessly in curbing vandalism of national assets, especially oil and gas infrastructure, while also beefing security in the state to ensure the safety and protection of lives and properties of both citizens and the Government.
-
Politics4 days ago2027: Nigerians Victims Of Desperate Politicians – Cleric
-
Business4 days agoCBN Comptroller Warns Against Naira Sale
-
Politics4 days agoObasanjo, Tinubu Mourn Audu Ogbeh’s Death @78
-
Politics4 days ago2027: APC Woos Enugu Gov
-
Maritime4 days agoMWUN, Police Parner In Safer Port Operations
-
Business4 days agoReal Estate GDP Contribution Surges To N41.3tn
-
Business4 days agoFreight Forwarders Raise Alarm Over Govt Reforms Sabotage
-
Niger Delta4 days agoC’River Communities Seeks Govt Intervention In Humanitarian Crisis