By Nathaniel Zacchaeus, Abuja
The Senate Committee on Information yesterday described as unacceptable, the meagre allocations proposed for the Ministry of Information and National Orientation in the N27.5trn 2024 budget.
The Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Idris Malagi, was in the National Assembly to explain the implementation of his ministry’s 2024 budget.
The Minister had in his presentation before the committee informed the senators that 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.
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“We are also going to convene and coordinate a regular series of 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 and what are the projects and programmes of government.
“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 said.
He, however, added that the N1bn earmarked for the Ministry as capital expenditure in 2024 would not be sufficient for the implementation of the programmes.
The committee chairman, Senator Kenneth Eze (APC Ebonyi Central), said provisions in the 2024 budget were nothing to write home about for implementing such laudable visions.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu yesterday asked the Senate to confirm the nomination of 19 National Population Commission (NPC) Commissioners.
Tinubu requested in a letter addressed to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, which he read on the floor of the Chamber during the plenary session.
The nominees are Emmanuel Eke (Abia), Clifford Zirra (Adamawa), Chidi Ezeoke (Anambra), Isa Buratai (Borno), Alex Ukam (Cross River), Blessyn Brume-Ataguba (Delta) and Jeremiah Nwankwegu (Ebonyi).
Others are: Tony Aiyejina (Edo), Ejike Ezeh (Enugu), Abubakar Damburam (Gombe), Uba Nnabue (Imo), Dogon Garba (Kaduna), Aminu Tsanyawa (Kano), Yori Afolabi (Kogi), Olakunle Sobukola (Ogun), Temitayo Oluwatuyi (Ondo), Mary Afan (Plateau), Ogiri Henry (Rivers) and Saany Sale (Taraba).
Similarly, the President also requested the apex legislative Assembly, to approve the nominations of Babajide Fasina (South-West), Enorense Amadasu (South-South), and Bashir Indabawa (North-West) as NPC Commissioners.
The Committee on National Identity Management Commission was given two weeks to conclude the screening and provide a report for further legislative action.
