By Chukwudi Obasi, Abuja
The House of Representatives Committee on Information, led by Fatoba Olusola, has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Information for the 2025 fiscal year.
During a budget defence session, Fatoba described the allocation of just N8.7bn as grossly inadequate for the Ministry’s responsibilities.
Fatoba said, “As far as we are concerned, the allocation is grossly inadequate. Even what you got last year during the 2024 budget is far higher than what you have now, even when the budget is far higher than what we had last year.”
The Chairman underscored the critical role of the Ministry in disseminating information and communicating government policies across the nation, questioning how such a meagre allocation could suffice.
“I cannot imagine the Ministry saddled with the responsibility of disseminating information and communicating the government policies to the nooks and crannies of this country, not having a substantial percentage of the budget, given the meagre amount of just over N8 billion. I don’t know where that can even take us to. So it is not acceptable to us. We would look into your budget and work to increase it,” he added.
In response, the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, outlined the challenges faced by the Ministry due to the limited funding. He emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to rebuilding public trust and enhancing the dissemination of accurate and timely information.
“We make sure trust and confidence return to the public information sector. We have seen the gradual erosion of trust from the Nigerian public to the government over the years,” Minister Idris stated. “We desire to ensure that information that Nigerians are required to know is given to them unhindered, honestly, timely, and accurately.”
He highlighted ongoing efforts such as consolidating the Ministerial briefing, which now includes 25 ministers, and deepening public engagement to showcase government activities and programmes. The Minister also stressed the importance of orientation in restoring national values, particularly among the youth.
“The president puts a premium on orientation. We need to inculcate the right values to the citizenry, especially the younger generation, so that Nigerians can reclaim its lost glory,” he said.
Idris called for increased support from the Committee to strengthen the Ministry’s budget, describing the information sector as essential to national development.
“The allocation to the Ministry is inadequate. We need your support to strengthen this budget so Nigerians can be better informed. The information sector should be at the forefront due to its importance,” he concluded.
The Committee assured the Minister of its commitment to revisiting the budget allocation and ensuring the Ministry is better equipped to carry out its mandate effectively.
