Assembly member pokes holes in 2019 budget presented by Wike

Days after governor Nyesom Wike presented the 2019 budget tagged “Budget of Sustainable Growth and Development”, a lawmaker representing Ahoada-East Constituency one in the Rivers state House of Assembly has poked holes in the budget, thereby describing it as a scam.

Wike, while presenting the budget to the house for consideration on Monday, said the budget with address the lingering issues of pension payment which he said has become an embarrassment to the state. He also explained that the budget will stimulate the agricultural sector as well as small and medium enterprises.

Mannah, who addressed newsmen said little or nothing was achieved with the 2018 budget, stressing that the newly presented budget may face the challenge of implementation.

The All Progressive Congress, APC, lawmaker added that there is a misplaced priority in the budget because security is expected to lead.

“The 2019 budget of the Wike Government is another scam. N480bn?

“The Governor is presenting N480billion when the 2018 budget has achieved nothing. All we have been seeing are patching of roads. No major project anywhere in the state.

“A state that claims to be generating employment is giving only 4billion naira to Agriculture.

“Let me tell you, during the budget 2018 defence here, one of the Ministries got 6billion naira in 2017 and we asked them what they did with their allocation, the Commissioner of that Ministry said they did not receive one naira from the Rivers state government. So, this 2019 will be the same.”