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Describes it as grossly inadequate
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Directs Budget and National Planning Minister to appear before committee
From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
The Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation has queried the allocation of N8.9 billion for the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation in the 2025 budget.
It said the sum was grossly inadequate and summoned the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Atiku Bagudu, for consultation on how to secure a larger allocation for the ministry.
Speaking at the budget defence session of the ministry at the National Assembly on Tuesday, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Kenneth Eze (APC, Ebonyi Central), rejected the proposed 2025 budget for the Ministry.
He explained that the decision to reject the budget was unanimous and had been adopted by all members of the committee.
Eze said, “Last year, the Minister appeared before the National Assembly and in particular the Senate, and we observed the very insignificant and minimal appropriation for the entire ministry considering the fact and the role that the information sector plays in this country, and we are saying we want to drive a transformative agenda of Mr. President.
“We deemed it necessary last year to recommend to the Appropriation Committee that there is every need for the information sector to be well funded, and in doing that, by the end of the day, we didn’t get the expected result.
“The Ministry appeared before the Committee again and came with the same and even lower appropriation for the information sector and its agencies.
“As the National Assembly and Senate, in particular, and as very responsive lawmakers, we feel it’s not proper and unacceptable for us to legislate on that proposal.
“So, the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation unanimously resolved that this budget be returned.
“If the government wants to fund the information sector in this country, it should live up to the expectations and fund a very important sector like information properly so that the expected results will be achieved.
“So, we have thrown back the budget proposal to them to either improve on it or we give them zero allocation,” he said.
Earlier, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who was accompanied by the Director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ibidapo Okunnu, and heads of agencies under the Ministry, posited that the mandate of the Ministry as a service provider is to project and defend the image of the country, as well as the dissemination of information and the promotion of national values.
“The year 2024 was pivotal for the Ministry as we rolled out a series of innovative and impactful programmes to enhance public communication, deepen citizens’ engagement, and promote national values,” he said.