Summary：**Rivers Assembly vows swift approval of Fubara’s N1.854tn budget amid public hope****Introduction

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**Rivers Assembly vows swift approval of Fubara’s N1.854tn budget amid public hope**

**Introduction**
The Rivers State House of Assembly has pledged to fast‑track the consideration of Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s N1.854 trillion 2026 budget, a move that has sparked optimism among residents eager for tangible improvements in infrastructure, education, and health services. Lawmakers emphasized that timely passage of the spending plan is essential to unlocking projects that address the state’s long‑standing development gaps.

**Key Developments**
During a plenary session on Tuesday, the Assembly’s leadership announced that the budget would be placed on the priority list for the upcoming legislative calendar. Speaker Hon. Ehie Samuel disclosed that committees on Finance, Works, and Education have already begun preliminary reviews, aiming to complete their reports within two weeks. Governor Fubara, who presented the budget last week, highlighted allocations of N420 billion for road rehabilitation, N310 billion for school construction and teacher training, and N260 billion for primary healthcare upgrades. The Assembly’s commitment to expedite scrutiny comes amid public calls for faster service delivery, especially after recent protests over dilapidated roads and overcrowded classrooms.

**Industry Analysis**
Analysts note that the proposed N1.854 trillion figure represents a 12 % increase over the 2025 budget, reflecting the state’s ambition to close infrastructural deficits that have deterred private investment. The emphasis on road works aligns with the Federal Government’s National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan, potentially unlocking matching funds from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Education spending, meanwhile, targets the Universal Basic Education (UBE) gap; UNESCO estimates that Rivers State needs an additional 1,500 classrooms to meet enrollment projections for 2026. Health sector analysts warn that without concurrent improvements in drug supply chains and personnel motivation, facility upgrades alone may not yield desired outcomes. Nonetheless, the budget’s sizeable capital component signals a shift from recurrent expenditure dominance, a trend that could improve fiscal sustainability if revenue mobilization keeps pace.

**Future Outlook**
If the Assembly adheres to