Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, has kicked against the 30 per cent reduction in the 2023 budget for his ministry.
According to the minister, the budget cut may affect his ministry’s ability to effectively discharge its constitutionally assigned duties and responsibilities.
“It is really a difficult situation and I do not know how we are going to handle it. This is the time the people need information, and the voice of government should be heard on what we are doing in the areas of security, infrastructure, and other sectors,” Lai told the Senate committee on information during his ministry’s budget defence on Tuesday, November 1.
“We also need to tell the world what the government has done in the last seven years, and we need funds for all these.
“I also believe that the 30 per cent cut in the 2023 budget proposal across the board should not apply to the ministry; rather it should be increased because of the importance of information dissemination now more than ever,” the ministry added.
The minister said the N1.072 billion capital expenditure allocated to his ministry in 2022 was grossly inadequate adding that there is a need to upgrade some equipment.
He maintained that having been slashed to N345.64 million in the 2023 budget proposal could make the situation worse than it already is.
