… As Ememobong Defends N1.93bn for 2024 Fiscal Year
There are strong indications that, the moribund Government Printing Press, the Pioneer Community Press and AKBC will experience greater fortunes next year as their turn-around processes are captured in the 2024 budgettary provisions of the Ministry of Information.
The Commissioner for Information, Comrade Ini Ememobong made this known Monday in Uyo, while appearing before the House Committee on Finance and Appropriations to defend the N1.93bn bugettary estimates of the Ministry for the 2024 fiscal year.
He opined that since the reactivation of the moribund Government Printing Press has remained a recurring decimal in the yearly estimates capturing of the Ministry, it is hopeful that, it will become a priority of government in 2024.
Comrade Ememobong decried the lack of Printing of laws enacted in the State in gazettes due to the ailing Printing Press noting that, this has grossly affected the implementation of such laws.
He however intimated that, AKBC will be fully linked to DSTV for wider visibility of the State globally by 2024, as preliminary work on the process has been completed.
The Commissioner therefore urged the House Committee on Appropriations to approve the provisions to enable the Ministry move forward its mandate of effective information dissemination and management of government information machinery.
In her reactions, the Chairman of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriations, Hon Dr (Mrs) Itorobong Etim acknowledged Information dissemination and management as critical and pledged to ensure the passage of the estimates after due delligence and in accordance to international best practices.
Present at the budget defense exercise were: the Permanent Secretary, Akparawa James Edet and management Staff of the Ministry.