A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ogbonna Nwuke, has said the decision of Governor Siminalayi Fubara to present the 2026 Appropriation Bill to the Rivers State House of Assembly, indicates a brighter future for the state.
Nwuke, who stated this in a chat with LEADERSHIP in Port Harcourt yesterday, said the governor’s action also indicates the endless faceoff between the legislature and the executive arm of the state government was coming to an end.
“So, the fact that the governor had earlier on presented the medium term expenditure framework and thereafter followed it up with the presentation of the 2026 budget means also, to the discerning eyes, particularly those who watched what have been happening in Rivers State for the past three years, that normalcy, naturally seems to have returned.
“Above all, families of workers, who depend on recurrent expenditure for example have strong hope that their salaries will be paid as at when due and nothing will happen to their future and the medical bills of their children can be paid, school fees of their children can be paid.
“To the youths, it means that the ICT, there will some progress made in the developing the digital economy. Also, agriculture, health, infrastructure because when you engage in infrastructural development, you create direct and indirect jobs.
“I think Rivers people are getting tired, worried about endless faceoffs between our so-called ogas at the top.
We are happy that what looks like the resolution of the crisis has been achieved,” he said.
The former federal lawmaker stated that although, the Nigerian constitution did not envisage a situation of endless faceoff between the executive and legislative arms of government, it is usually the masses that suffer when such situations occur.
“What is evident is that democratic institutions in Rivers State are beginning to work together. It is a good sign that we are heading in the direction of good governance.
“The constitution never envisaged a situation where there will be endless faceoff between the legislature and the executive arm. When that happens, it is the people who elected them that suffer the most,” Nwuke said.
