Members of the Joint National Assembly Committee on Information & National Orientation have been commended for their commitment to ‘better deal’ in the 2025 Budget Appropriation for Media Organizations under the Federal Ministry of Information & Orientation especially, Federation Radio Corporation of Nigeria [FRCN], Nigerian Television Authority [NTA], News Agency of Nigeria [NAN] and the National Orientation of Agency [NOA] as well as others.
The National Coordinator of the Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria Alh. Ibrahim Abdullahi, made this commendation in a press statement on Monday while reacting to the Budget Defence process currently going-on in the National Assembly.
It would be recalled that the Joint Committee on Information & National Orientation vowed last week during one of its sessions, that it would increase the Budget Proposal submitted by the Federal Ministry of Information & National Orientation; after rejecting the earlier proposal based on what it called inadequate provisions compared to the problems confronting Federal Media Organizations under the Ministry.
The Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria, is an NGO dedicated to high professional and ethical standard in media practice – in addition to good governance in Nigeria, expressed serious concern on the deplorable state of Zonal and FM Stations of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria [FRCN] as well as that of the Nigerian Television Authority [NTA] all over the Country; pointing-out that the two flagship Federal Media Organizations are working under serious hardship stating that from apart from Abuja the Nation’s Capital, most State Stations of NTA and FRCN lack needed adequate facilities to serve the Nation effectively and efficiently.
It is no longer ideal for NTA and FRCN Managements to rely on State Governments to uplift their facilities for them; when actually they are battling with their domestic problems, Group maintained.
The Group Leader spoke of the state-of-art equipment needed in all FRCN and NTA Stations across the Country including Lagos and commended the Hon Minister of Information and National Orientation Alh. Mohamned Idris for untertaking study tours of NTA and FRCN stations in Lagos to see things for himself calling for total rehabilitation of structures, provision of modern equipment, Generating Sets, Vehicles and good working condition of service for Public Media Staffers all over the Federation.
On Media Salary Scale for Public Service Media Workers, the Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria described it as a necessity pointing out that this demand has been on for several years and well-deserved because of strenous conditions under which Media Professionals have been working appealing to NASS Members to integrate all these into its consideration in approving tangible Budget for 2025 for Federal Ministry of Information.
On the National Orientation Agency [NOA], the Group commended the new Director-General of the Agency Mal. Lanre Issa Onilu for reviving the activities of the agency.
He stated that under the new Charter evolved for NOA, grassroot mobilisation for nation’s development and progress was surely being pursued by the new Director-General – calling for sufficient funds appropriation for the agency to realise its objectives and goals .
