RIVERS GOVERNMENT TARGETS TO SPEND N800B AS 2024 BUDGET AS APPROVED BY COUNCIL

Rivers State Executive Council has deliberated and approved an estimated budget spending of N800bn for the State government in 2024 fiscal year.

Council also approved that the estimated budget be christened, “Budget of Renewed Hope, Consolidation and Continuity.”

The Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara presided over the meeting that held at the Executive Chambers of Government House in Port Harcourt.

Commissioner for Information and Communications, Joseph Johnson addressed newsmen after the meeting.

He said about N412bn was approved as projected sum for capital expenditure while recurrent expenditure is getting N361bn.

“We had the 5th council meeting of Rivers State. We deliberated on the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, which is usually a precursor to discussing the budget.

“An 83 page document was also presented, which has the budget estimate. The budget estimate for 2024 is N800, and it is tagged: “Budget of Renewed Hope, Consolidation and Continuity.

The Information Commissioner said further: “essentially, the budget is focused on some key areas with infrastructure taking the lead with N128bn of the budget followed by Education, Health and Security.”

Also speaking, the Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG), Tammy Danagogo said the estimated budget was approved in support of governor Fubara to giving Rivers people renewed hope that will quarantee continual harvest of projects and human capital development.

“We approved an estimated budget of N800,392,485,433kobo, which we believe, by the time it gets to the state House of assembly, the public will be made to see and understand all the projections and fundamentals.

“Basically, the essence of the budget is to give the people and residents of the Rivers State the Renewed Hope and to ensure that there is a consolidation and continuity in what has been happening in terms of the harvest of projects we have been having in the State, and of course other areas, particularly in human capital development, security, investment drive in the State and ease of doing business.”