Rivers: Wike fails to address implementation of national minimum wage in 2021 budget.

Governor of River State, Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday, presented the 2021 appropriation bill of over four hundred and forty-eight billion naira on the floor of the state House of Assembly and failed to implement the agreement with the organised labour on consequential salary adjustment based on the new national minimum wage and to implement the annual salary increment in the state.

While the full details of the Rivers State 2021 Appropriation bill are yet to be made public, the summary presentation of the budget by Governor Wike Wednesday had no mention of addressing the concerns of organised labour in the state.

However, according to the Governor, about three hundred and five billion naira is earmarked for capital expenditure while about one hundred and forty-two billion naira is for recurrent expenditure.

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The Governor said the budget christened; “Budget of Recovery and Consolidation” represents over 20 per cent increase from the 2020 revised budget of three hundred billion naira.

He also stated that the increase in the recurrent budget follows the need to eradicate poverty which is often achieved through government spending.

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He said the capital expenditure, representing 68.18% of the total budget size, constituted as follows: Administrative sector N 87, 790,330,011.37; Economic sector N 105,077,364,248,.81; Law and Justice N1,742,996,000.00; Social sector – N 132, 656,033,322.35 and Deductions/Loan repayments N38,000,000,000.00.

He further explained that the capital budget will be deployed to advance economic growth and social progress by targeting and prioritizing investments.

He said the sum of N82,957,295,248.81 has been provided for the provision of infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and completion of flyover projects at Okoro-Nu-Odo, Rumuola, Rumuogba, and Port Harcourt GRA junction.