On Tuesday, the House of Representatives Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics, and Values expressed dismay over the absence of budgetary allocations for the Nigerian Press Council and the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (ARCON) in the 2024 budget proposal.
Chaired by Hon. Fatoba Olusola (APC-Ekiti State), the Committee also raised concerns about the meager budgetary provision for the Ministry of Information and Orientation and its agencies. It called for an upward revision of the budget to enable the Ministry to effectively fulfill its mandate.
The Committee made these observations during the budget defense session with the Ministry and its Agencies.
Hon. Fatoba, the Committee Chairman, expressed surprise at the total capital budget of the Ministry and its agencies, amounting to approximately N2.95 billion. He deemed this amount insufficient given the crucial role that the media and information ministry play in the country.
He remarked, “Their budget during the budget presentation was a thing of surprise to us, the committee in charge of the Ministry and its agencies. To realize that the total capital budget accruing to the whole Ministry and its agencies for the year 2024 is within N2.95 billion, which is, to us, a very low budget considering the role the media and information ministry are to play in this country.”
Hon Fatoba raised concerns about the ability of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to effectively disseminate information to the public about government policies, especially in combating the spread of fake news. He emphasized that the NOA, with less than N200 million in its capital budget, faces challenges in fulfilling its crucial role.
Highlighting another issue, he expressed disappointment in the zero budget allocation for two agencies within the ministry – the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria and the Nigerian Press Council. These regulatory bodies oversee media houses, both local and international, within the country.
He stated, “When you give these two agencies zero budget and expect them to be revenue-driven by running after the people they regulate to get funds, it is not the right thing.”
Hon. Fatoba urged President Buhari to ensure funding for these agencies and other low-budget entities within the ministry to effectively implement the renewed hope agenda and make a tangible impact on the people.
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