The House of Representatives has officially passed the Rivers State 2025 budget.

This marks a significant development in the ongoing federal oversight of the state following the declaration of a political crisis and the imposition of emergency administrative measures.

The budget was prepared under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu-appointed Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), and is estimated at ₦1.48 trillion.

The decision by the House follows a similar move by the Senate earlier in June, which had passed the same budget figure, amounting to ₦1.485 trillion, after a legislative process.

The Senate’s passage of the budget followed the third reading of the appropriation bill on the floor, signifying full legislative approval.

This action came after the chamber considered the findings and recommendations of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Rivers State during a Committee of Supply session.

According to details from the approved budget, the breakdown includes ₦120.8 billion allocated for debt servicing, ₦287.38 billion for recurrent (non-debt) expenditure, and ₦1.077 trillion for capital expenditure.

These figures indicate a strong focus on infrastructure and development projects, despite lingering concerns about administrative transparency.

In the first week of June, the Sole Administrator appeared before the House Ad-Hoc Committee to present the proposed ₦1.48 trillion spending plan for the 2025 fiscal year.

This presentation took place under the unusual circumstances of a federal intervention, which has drawn mixed reactions from stakeholders within and outside Rivers State.

A few weeks after his selection as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral (Rtd) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas had announced that an appropriation bill for 2025 was being articulated.

He stated that once finalised, the bill will address critical development concerns, including healthcare delivery, education, agriculture, and infrastructure.

Ibas made this known when he hosted a delegation from the Rivers State caucus at the National Assembly, led by Dr. Barinada Mpigi, the Senator representing Rivers South-East District, at Government House in Port Harcourt on Thursday.

According to him, the planned budget will also focus on creating employment opportunities for the people of Rivers State and advancing the adoption of technology in key public sectors.

"Since the Supreme Court verdict on the state’s budget, we have acted swiftly and decided to put together a comprehensive plan for infrastructural development," he said.

“We have worked diligently to ensure that the process is transparent, inclusive, and, most importantly, expedited. Our goal is to ensure that we do not lose any more time in making the necessary investments that will improve the lives of our citizens.”

There have been growing concerns over fiscal discipline within the Rivers State government.

Various stakeholders, including civil society organisations and opposition figures, have raised questions about the processes involved in the formulation of the new budget.

Specifically, there have been queries regarding the legitimacy and consultative depth of the process carried out by the Ibas-led Sole Administration.

Critics argue that bypassing democratically elected state institutions undermines the principles of participatory governance.