A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ogbonna Nwuke, has lauded Rivers State governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly over the presentation and approval of the 2026-2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF).
Fubara had presented the framework to the House last Thursday while the lawmakers deliberated and approved it the next day.
Speaking with LEADERSHIP in Port Harcourt, Nwuke who is also a former Commissioner for Information and Communications in the state, the development is a signed that both the executive and the legislature are working together.
“It is a sign of institutions working together. These institutions were designed to work together; the executive arm doing what it should do and the legislative arm doing what it ought to do. When the two work harmoniously in the interest of our democracy, everyone is happy.
“So, at this point, the governor has presented the Medium Term Expenditure Framework to the legislature, it is evidence is what looks like ongoing engagement between the executive arm which is led by the governor and the legislative arm which is led by speaker. This is what our Constitution envisaged.
“This is what Rivers people have always wanted. We will not kill our state because some people want to play extreme politics. Now, they have gotten it right both for the executive and the legislature. I think that any rationale mind that is Rivers will be exceeding pleased that we are returning to the budget business,” he said.
Commenting on the MTEF document on the floor of the House before the approval, the Speaker, Martin Chike Amaewhule, stated that by the provision of Section 10 (1)(b) of the Rivers State Fiscal Responsibility Law, No. 8 of 2010, the document should have been laid before the House in September, 2025, four months before the commencement of the next financial year immediately after the end of every three financial years.
Amaewhule however said in the interest of the state, the House deemed it expedient to consider the document, which is a precursor to the State’s 2026 Budget Estimate; adding that though the year is already half gone.
Debating the MTEF document before its approval, members looked at the various assumptions in the document and concluded that if strictly followed, they would be for the greater good of Rivers people.
Predicating on the positive consideration of the MTEF by members, the Speaker put the question and members voted in the affirmative.
