Rivers civil servants threaten mass protest over budget delay
By Joshua Ogbologugo
A coalition of concerned civil servants in Rivers State, alongside the Rivers Solidarity for Good Governance, has issued a stern ultimatum to the House of Assembly, demanding the immediate receipt of the 2025 budget from the executive arm tomorrow.
The groups condemned what it calls “reckless inaction and obstruction of governance,” warning of mass resistance if their demands are not met.
At a media briefing in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, the civil servants led by Opu-Oyibo Lilly-West criticised the Rivers State House of Assembly for its continuous delay in receiving the state budget, which they argue has left thousands of workers, market traders and residents in economic uncertainty.
“Your blatant disregard for the urgent needs of our state has placed critical contracts and salaries at risk,” they said.
“By choosing spectacle over service, you have endangered the future of our public institutions and betrayed the trust of every citizen who depends on a stable, functioning government.”
The group demanded that the budget be submitted without further delay and be fully presented before the Assembly by March 19, 2025, as requested in the letter written by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
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They described their demand as “a command backed by the righteous fury of thousands of civil servants, their families, and the broader community.”
The coalition warned that failure to comply would result in large-scale protests, emphasizing that they would not tolerate any further delay or political manoeuvring.
“The tide of resistance will be unstoppable,” the statement declared. “The collective might of the civil service and the distressed voices of our people will rise in defiant protest against this gross negligence. This is not a threat—it is a promise of action.”
Calling for an end to what they described as “empty rhetoric,” the group urged the state assembly to abandon “farcical games” and fulfil its obligations.
