Through its Committee on Information and National Orientation, the Senate declared on Tuesday that the meagre N8.9 billion 2025 budget allocation for the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation is grossly inadequate.
The Committee summoned the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, to appear before it for consultation on securing a larger budget for the Information Ministry.
Specifically, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Kenneth Eze (APC, Ebonyi Central), announced the decision to reject the proposed 2025 budget for the Ministry when the Minister of Information and National Orientation,
Alhaji Mohammed Idris, appeared before the committee to defend the 2024 budget and present the budget proposal for 2025.
Senator Eze stated that the committee’s decision to reject the budget was unanimous and had been adopted by all members.
“Last year, the Minister appeared before the National Assembly, particularly the Senate, and we observed the very insignificant and minimal appropriation for the entire Ministry, considering the critical role that the information sector plays in this country. We are committed to driving the transformative agenda of Mr. President,” he said.
“We deemed it necessary last year to recommend to the Appropriations Committee that the information sector should be well funded, but at the end of the day, we didn’t see the expected result.
“The Ministry appeared before the Committee again and presented the same, or even lower, appropriation for the information sector and its agencies.
“As the National Assembly and Senate, in particular, we are very responsive lawmakers, and we feel it’s improper and unacceptable to legislate on such a proposal.”
The Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation unanimously resolved to return the budget proposal.
“If the government wants to fund the information sector in this country properly, it must live up to expectations and provide adequate funding to such an important sector so that the expected results can be achieved,” Senator Eze added.
“We have rejected the budget proposal and asked them to improve it or face zero allocation.”
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, explained that the Ministry’s mandate as a service provider is to protect and defend the country’s image, disseminate information, and promote national values.
“The year 2024 was pivotal for the Ministry as we rolled out a series of innovative and impactful programs to enhance public communication, deepen citizens’ engagement, and promote national values,” he said.
