Martin Amaewhule, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, has criticized Governor Siminalayi Fubara for failing to meet the legal deadline for submitting the state’s 2026–2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). Through his spokesperson, Martins Wachukwu, the Speaker highlighted that the document arrived significantly later than mandated by the Rivers State Fiscal Responsibility Law.
While the governor submitted the MTEF on Thursday, the Speaker noted that Section 10(1)(b) of the state’s 2010 fiscal legislation requires such documents to be presented by September, four months ahead of the upcoming fiscal year. Despite this breach of protocol, Amaewhule explained that lawmakers approved the framework on Friday to prevent further disruptions to the budget planning process.
The Speaker acknowledged the importance of the document as a necessary foundation for the 2026 budget estimates. He clarified that the legislature opted to expedite its approval out of concern for the state’s welfare, despite the governor’s failure to adhere to the established legal timeline.
