The Rivers State House of Assembly is expecting Governor Siminalayi Fubara to present the 2024 Appropriations Bill and the medium-term expenditure framework to the house.
Martin Amaewhule made this disclosure on Tuesday during a meeting at the Rivers Assembly building.
The assembly raised concerns about the delayed submission of the state’s audited account by the Public Accounts Committee.
After hearing the committee’s explanation, Speaker Amaewhule granted their request for an additional three weeks to complete their work and report back to the house.
Amaewhule also instructed the State Auditor General to make the state accounts public to the Assembly in accordance with the Constitution.
A statement was released by Martins Wachukwu, the media aide to the speakers, which outlined the actions taken by the House. The House conducted the first reading of two bills: the Traditional Rulers Law (amendment) bill and the advertisement and use of state-owned property prohibition (repealed) bill.
During the session, the Speaker discussed the Order of the Day and referred to relevant sections of the amended 1999 Federal Republic of Nigerian Constitution. These sections grant the State House of Assembly the authority to receive a report on the audited state account.
The Speaker urged the House Committee on Public Accounts to investigate why the state’s auditor general has not yet submitted the audited state account for 2022 to the House.
Amaewhule mentioned that the Rivers State House of Assembly has not yet received the state’s Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and the 2024 Appropriation Bill.
“When put to vote, the House unanimously agreed to write to the Governor, Siminialayi Fubara, to notify him of the delay in presenting the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and the 2024 Appropriation Bill to the House in line with the 1999 Constitution as altered,” the statement added.
