A human rights advocacy group, Pilex Center-The Peoples Advocates has picked holes in the 2025 Rivers State Budget describing it as a product of a Rubber Stamp Assembly that will not serve the interests of the common man.
The Pilex Center-Peoples Advocates in a press release captioned, ‘RIVERS STATE 2025 BUDGET: A RUBBER STAMP ASSEMBLY (RIVERS STATE AGRICULTURAL AND POWER POTENTIAL’) dated January 8, signed by its coordinator, Nsirim Ovu, Esq., decried the failure of the Siminalaiye Fubara government to address the livelihood challenges caused by the fuel subsidy removal and epileptic power supply which has fueled economic hardship putting the ordinary citizens under unimaginable hardship. It queried the allocation of a meagre N30billion to agriculture in the new state budget whereas governance was assigned a whooping N230billion.
“Pilex Centre-THE PEOPLES ADVOCATES is disappointed and dissatisfied with the Rivers State 2025 Appropriation Act which does not reflect the will of the people. This again questions the state of democracy at this local level wherein the elected representatives of the people at the State Assembly could not speak for the people nor convoke a public hearing to enable people-oriented organizations and individuals inform them of the major needs of the people – FOOD SECURITY and CONSTANT POWER SUPPLY”, part of the release read.
The human rights body flayed the state House of Assembly for failing to think people before giving a nod to the budget.
It however expressed satisfaction with allocations to healthy, education and infrastructure.
“Pilex Centre-THE PEOPLES ADVOCATES is satisfied with the education, health and infrastructure lines in the budget but dissatisfied with the fact that governance has a whooping NGN 230billion, while agriculture, is assigned a lean meagre N30billion. This is not a reflection of a government for the people. A government for the people must ascertain the needs of the people and bring it to bear in its policies and governance.”
The center said the agriculture allocation runs short of the African Union Maputo Declaration and indicates insensitivity to the current reality of events in the sector.
“The Rivers State Government ought to be aware that the energy crisis and inflation ( about 34 per cent to over 200 per cent) in cost of goods and services, have reduced the purchasing power of people in Rivers State who are largely unemployed (13 per cent and more in the data and reality). As such, PILEX CENTRE expected the government at the National and State level to conform to the African Union Maputo Declaration which Nigeria is signatory to, and which requires that agriculture should be assigned at least 10 per cent of the entire budget to ensure food security. The reasoning is that ‘no human being should go to bed hungry’, and the sense in the demand for more investment in agriculture is for food sufficiency/excess supply of foodstuff, which will drive price down to the barest minimum, affordable for persons who earn a minimum wage of NGN 85,000. Rivers State can achieve this without leaning on the Federal Government as such. One wonders what a SIMINALAYE AGRIC BUDGET of N30billion will do to boost productions in the farming and fishing sector to ensure food sufficiency for the peoples of Rivers State”.
According to the advocates, “Wikipedia says that Rivers State is one of the leading states in the production of yam, cassava, cocoyam, maize, rice and beans. About 39 per cent (760,000 hectares) of the state’s total land mass, particularly in the upland area, is suitable for cultivation. Major cash crops produced in the state are oil palm products, rubber, coconut, raffia palm and jute. Other crops grown for food include vegetables, melon, pineapples, mango, pepper, banana and plantain and there are 270 species of fish in Rivers State and many artisanal Fishermen in the riverine areas. The state provides valuable sea foods such as crabs, oysters, shrimps and sea snails among others”.
PILEX CENTRE then suggested that, “a state of emergency be declared in the agriculture and power sector and an Emergency Intervention Fund be set up to ameliorate the hardship of the people”. It noted that entrepreneurs spend a minimum of 30-40 per cent of production cost on power supply, buying diesel or/and fuel to run their business. The said energy cost is factored into the final cost of goods and services further spiking the inflation. Some entrepreneurs who cannot cope will either terminate employment of workers or go home, so,” it is the responsibility of the government to provide the enabling environment for businesses to thrive and that is what we are asking the government of Sminalaye Fubara to do,” it stressed.
Confirming that electricity has been moved from the exclusive list to the concurrent list, Pilex Center said that means that Rivers State government can source for, generate and even distribute power to cushion the gap in PHED supply, or, partner with PHED on transmission of already available megawatts, etc.
It warned the current administration against pursuit of personal interest above the peoples’ interest. “Pilex Center-The Peoples’ Advocates warns this administration not to toe the line of former administrations who, only focused on road projects in-order to get kickbacks. That would be putting selfish interest above people’s interest. That will not only exacerbate the hardship of the people but also, indirectly kill people who would die from resultant malnourishment, poverty, inability to access hospitals, etc. because a few people convert the commonwealth of all the people.
It urged the Rivers State government to consider setting up an emergency fund for agriculture and constant power supply.
