In a heated exchange, the Chairman of the Rivers State House of Assembly Committee on Information, Dr. Enemi Alagbo George, has called out Governor Similayi Fubara for what he described as the “height of insincerity” regarding the presentation of the 2025 Appropriation Bill. Governor Fubara previously claimed he was barred from presenting the budget to the Assembly, a statement George categorically disputes.
Dr. George asserted that there was no formal communication from Fubara to the Assembly regarding any impediments to presenting the budget. He stressed the urgency of passing the budget, citing the governor’s failure to disburse entitlements owed to the Assembly for over a year.
“Despite the challenges, we have appealed to the governor to bring his appropriation bill immediately following the Supreme Court judgment,” George explained. He reiterated that lawmakers had pleaded with Fubara to expedite the budget presentation for the sake of Rivers State’s progress and to ensure essential services such as hospitals and schools received necessary funding.
The Assembly had reached out to Fubara on March 3, requesting him to present the budget. However, according to George, the governor turned down efforts to deliver this request, even rejecting Assembly employees who attempted to serve the notice.
“How can he claim that we blocked him? This is utterly insincere. We need the budget to ensure that vital services are funded and our entitlements distributed. With his current actions, we are left wondering what his intentions truly are,” George added.
