NOSA EGHAGHA
The House of Representatives has declined the appeal by Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, that the parliament should increase budgetary allocation to the ministry and agencies under it for fear of being accussed of ‘budget padding’.
President Muhammadu Buhari had at the signing of the 2022 budget expressed strong reservations on the “worrisome changes” made by the National Assembly to the executive budget proposal.
Buhari had said the 2022 budget provided for aggregate expenditures of N17.13 trillion, an increase of N735.85 billion over the initial executive proposal for a total expenditure of N16.39 trillion.
Notwithstanding, Mohammed who appeared before the House Committee on Information for Budget Defence on Wednesday, pleaded with the lawmakers to increase the budgetary allocation to his Ministry and its parastatals.
He said much funding was needed to effectively disseminate information about the achievements of the Buhari-led administration, tackle fake news, disinformation and hate speech.
The Minister said that N345 million for capital expenditure was grossly inadequate for the enormous tasks ahead.
“I want to draw the House attention to the fact that the ministry of information has been dealt a very heavy card in this year’s budgetary allocation. In 2022 the National Assembly approved N2.5 billion for this ministry, as capital of which N1 billion belongs to information.
“This year the capital provision for the entire ministry of information and culture is N869 million, of which only N345 million is for information. I fully understand the current challenges the country is facing, but I don’t agree that the ministry of information and culture at this critical time should have less, it actually should have more.
“This because it’s during challenges like this that you need your information ministry, not only to chronicle what you have achieved but to combat fake news, disinformation, hate speech which today has taken quite a height that’s threatening our very existence as a country.
“While I agree that our sources of revenue have dwindled, there’s no better time to have more money for the Ministry.
“I did argue this even at the level of the executive. I said that even if we stop any capital project, if the ministry of information is given enough money; we can be chronicling and telling the world everyday, what we have achieved in the last eight years.
“Please this House should do whatever they can, this N345 million capital expenditure I don’t know where to start. Because if you expect so much from us the least you can do for us is to provide the tools.”
Mohammed said the contribution of the ministry to peace and stability is not quantifiable as it deepens understanding between the government and the governed, ensuring that disinformation is tackled everyday.
“Only last week, the United States of America, (USA) issued a security alert unverified, and we all know how we had to battle to save stability and economy.
“At this time when we are facing these challenges, this Ministry needs more money. I don’t know how we can survive with this N345 million.
“This also affected most of my parastatals. They are given just N5 million capital project. This is a year we have election and national census. So what other time do you need to empower your information ministry? We have been dealt a very heavy card.
“This Ministry needs many more, ten times what it’s been given this year. In the area of revenue generation we will do much better. Mr Chairman please jack up my budgetary provision so that we will perform better,” he said.
But in his reaction, Olusegun Odebunmi, the committee’s chairman, told the minister that the country was practicing an envelope system and directed him to speak to the executive arm of government.
Odebunmi said: “You know we are practicing envelope budgetary system. We are not the one allocating the envelope, it’s the Executive that allocates to each ministry. And this was what was given to you. I think before coming here, you supposed to have taken the fight back to the executive. We share the same idea.
“The information ministry is supposed to be seen as one of the security agencies and funded the way they fund security agencies, because information is power.
“On the terror alert, we need the ministry to prove to the nation that this is not true. On the budget, from this end, I don’t think we can do more than we have done.”
Again, Mohammed said the N345 million had already been pocketed, stressing he was only asking for more.
“That N345 million I have pocketed it already, sir, I’m only asking for me. Please stand up for me, your voice is respected at the executive,” he said.
In his intervention, a member of the committee, Ahmed Jaha also told the minister it may be difficult to consider his appeal as lawmakers had been serially accused padding the budgets.
Jaha said: “It’s the same federal government that will come through the ministry of information and accuse the National Assembly of padding the budget. So, minister, I want you to understand that we are being placed between the devil and deep blue sea.
“This ministry of information is being expected to benefit from the service wide votes. So, if you look at your budget last year, till now only 15 percent was released, it’s one thing to provide budgetary allocation, it’s another thing to have effective releases.
“It’s the same executive that advertise to Nigerians what they done in the past eight years that’s allocating this to the ministry. In other words, you have performed but don’t want people to know about it.
“You should even pray that before 29th May 2023, let there be releases. In most cases, transition budget is augmented by a supplementary budget before the end of the first year of the new government. The new government might not be willing to advertise and let Nigerians know of your achievements.
“So, the budget is done by the Executive. We can go into Executive session and tell each other the truth on the way and manner to assist the ministry. We cannot be more Catholic than the Pope.”
Not deterred, Mohammed insisted that it was the lawmakers’ job to assist him, saying: “I don’t agree, sir, we are the Catholic, You’re the Pope. We are talking about oil theft and terrorism.
“This is the more reason you need a government that will be speaking every moment. You are our last hope for us to try the best to fight disinformation. I have tried my best. No doubt we have challenges in revenue. I went with NNPC, flew in helicopter over the oil producing area and I saw how in broad daylight pipelines are being vandalized and stolen.
“Our problem is not the Economy but Security, because if we are loosing 700 barrels a day, do you know what that translates to in terms of money? So, there’s no better time for the ministry of information budget to be increased than now.”
Other agencies under the Ministry which also defended their 2023 budget included Voice of Nigeria, (VON); News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN); Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria, (ARCON) and the Nigeria Television Authority, (NTA).
