Information Minister wants review of laws establishing MDAs

From Our Correspondent

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris has advocated a review of laws establishing the agencies under the ministry.

He stated this during an interactive session with the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation in Abuja.

Some of the agencies under the ministry include the Nigeria Broadcasting Organisation (NBC), National Orientation Agency (NOA), the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) among others.

Idris also called on the National Assembly to look into some outdated laws and legislations that were now impediments to the agencies and parastatals under the ministry.

He said some of these agencies and parastatals were unable to compete with their contemporaries because the acts establishing them were old.

The minister said that some of the legislations were enacted since the establishment of the agencies many years ago and therefore needed to be reviewed to enable them function well.

“We need your support in funding. We need your support to increase funding from the Senate. It is a key ministry and how it is funded goes a long way for Nigerians to see how they are informed.”

The minister also said that the ministry would put in more efforts for migration to Digital Switch Over (DSO).

He said: “There is no reason why the DSO cannot work in this country. We have the funding but not much has been done to harness the resources for smooth takeoff of the DSO.

“We cannot afford to be left behind on analogue”.

On his part, Senator Sunday Katung (PDP-Kaduna), said that there was need for the Senate to investigate why the country had not switched over.

Earlier, Chairman of the Committee, Senator Emeka Eze urged the minister to live up to their responsibilities of shouldering the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu to bring about purposeful governance to the people.

Eze also advised the agencies to think above the board and look for more alternatives to generate fund for them to meet some of their obligations.