Civil Servants In Rivers State Threaten Mass Protest Over Budget Delay

Information obtained by 9News Nigeria reveals that a coalition of concerned civil servants in Rivers State, alongside the Rivers Solidarity for Good Governance, have issued a stern ultimatum to the state House of Assembly, demanding the immediate receipt of the 2025 budget from the executive arm by Wednesday, March 19, 2025.

The groups condemned what it called “reckless inaction and obstruction of governance,” warning of mass resistance if their demands were 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 argued 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.

“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,” Lilly-West said.

The groups demanded that the budget be submitted without further delay and be fully presented before the Assembly by March 19, 2025, as requested for in the letter written by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

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, emphasising that they would not tolerate any further delay or political maneuvering.

9News Nigeria reports that part of the statement revealed; “The tide of resistance will be unstoppable,” the groups 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 groups urged the state assembly to abandon “farcical games” and fulfill its obligations.