The Rivers State House of Assembly has passed the state’s ₦1.84 trillion 2026 Appropriation Bill into law after making adjustments to the proposal presented for consideration.
The budget was passed on Thursday following the adoption of recommendations by the House Committee on Supply, which reviewed the bill and proposed amendments to some allocations.
The approved budget is expected to be financed through ₦487.6 billion in Internally Generated Revenue, ₦936.052 billion from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), ₦50 billion in proposed internal loans and ₦25 billion from asset sales. A further ₦48 billion is listed as opening and closing balance.
Of the total budget, ₦1.4 trillion is earmarked for capital expenditure.
Sectoral allocations include ₦262 billion for agriculture, ₦625.8 billion for the economic sector, ₦65 billion for law and justice, and ₦435.4 billion for the social sector.
The lawmakers also recommended ₦1.4 billion for the Primary Health Management Board to facilitate the reconstruction of its facility on Accra Street.
However, deliberations over a ₦6 billion allocation to Pamo University of Medical Sciences proved contentious.
Members questioned the justification for allocating the amount to the privately owned institution, particularly amid concerns over accountability for previous funds released to the university.
The lawmakers noted that Rivers State University, a public institution, was allocated ₦6.1 billion, raising questions about the proposed funding for Pamo University.
The issue became more contentious after a commissioner wrote to the Assembly requesting that the allocation be increased from ₦6 billion to ₦8 billion, arguing that the original amount was insufficient.
Following the concerns, the committee recommended that no further funds be released to Pamo University until the Assembly is satisfied with the institution’s accountability for previous allocations.
The ₦6 billion provision was subsequently stepped down pending further investigation and resolution of the concerns raised by lawmakers.
The Assembly later voted to pass the ₦1.84 trillion Appropriation Bill into law, incorporating the committee’s recommendations and amendments.
