2024 Budget: Senate panel frowns at N1bn capital allocation for Ministry of Information

The Senate Committee on Information, on Tuesday, December 12, frowned at the N1 billion proposed for the Ministry of Information and National Orientation as capital allocation in the 2024 budget.

The chairman of the Senate Committee on Information, Senator Kenneth Eze (APC-Ebonyi Central) made the assertion when the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris Malagi, appeared before the committee to defend the ministry’s 2024 budget.

Earlier, Idris had in his presentation before the committee informed the senators that the National values and attitudes re-orientation campaign under the aegis of the National Values Charter (NVC), would be launched in early 2024.

He said: “The ministry desires to have a big national conversation around our values and attitudes re-orientation so that Nigeria will at least rediscover itself and reclaim some of those values that have been eroded over the years so that we can have a better country for all of us.

“We also desire the launch of the National and International branding campaign for Nigeria to highlight and showcase Nigeria’s immense natural and cultural resources.

“We are also going to convene and coordinate regular press briefings and media engagements for cabinet members and other senior government officials to avail Nigerians of what various ministries and agencies are doing so that Nigerians will be carried along on what the projects and programmes of government are.

“We also intend to invest resources in modernising the Federal Government information and communication management and regulatory system across the agencies, for example, NAN, NTA, FRCN, etc.”

He however added that the N1 billion earmarked for the Ministry as capital expenditure in 2024 would not be sufficient for implementation of the programmes.

Apparently impressed by the vision and programmes of the Minister, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Kenneth Eze said the capital provisions in the 2024 budget were nothing to write home about for implementing such laudable visions.

Eze said: “This is not a budget that can be visible if we are telling our story as a country. There is no way we can go far. You have a great initiative on how you are going to transform the country in the area of information, I wonder how you are going to do that with this so little fund.

“Information is a very sensitive ministry that should be taken seriously, and funded, and if we are talking about Renewed Hope Agenda, what we want as a country, Information should be at the forefront, it should be the image maker to sensitise the people, there is a widening gap between the government and information has to bridge this gap.

“I looked around in the budget, I didn’t see Nigeria Press Council, and APCON, and other agencies. Is the government telling us that the agencies are being scrapped or that they can function without personnel? Who will pay their salary and just a few months ago, the DG and Executive Secretary were appointed. Hon Minister, this is a serious matter for the committee to look into and we shall surely do that.”