Rivers Civil Servants Issue Ultimatum to Assembly Over Budget Delay, Threaten Mass Protest

Civil servants in Rivers State, backed by the Rivers Solidarity for Good Governance, have issued a strong warning to the state House of Assembly over its delay in receiving the 2025 budget. The coalition is demanding that the Assembly receive and consider the budget from the executive arm no later than Wednesday, March 19, 2025. Speaking at a press conference in Port Harcourt, Opu-Oyibo Lilly-West, who led the civil servants, condemned what they described as “reckless inaction and obstruction of governance,” blaming the Assembly for deepening economic uncertainty for thousands of workers, traders, and residents across the state.

Lilly-West accused the lawmakers of ignoring their constitutional duties and putting critical contracts and salaries at risk. She said their inaction had endangered the future of public institutions and betrayed the trust of citizens relying on a stable government. The coalition stressed that their demand for swift budget action reflects the urgent needs of civil servants, their families, and the wider public. They insist the budget must be submitted and fully presented before the Assembly without any further political games.

The groups warned that if their deadline is ignored, they will mobilise mass protests across the state. Describing the coming response as “the collective might of the civil service,” they promised to resist any further delays, saying their resolve is not a mere threat but a clear promise to act. They also called on the Assembly to drop what they termed “empty rhetoric and farcical games” and to immediately fulfill its legislative responsibilities.