2025 Budget Defense : Chairman Committee For Information Hon. Cletus Sylvanus Kwarpo Scrutinizes Ministry of Information And Agencies




By: Labaran Ahmed 

The Chairman Committee for Information in Plateau State House of Assembly Hon. Cletus Sylvanus Kwarpo has scrutinized the State Information Ministry and it's Agencies for 2025 fiscal year.

Agencies which under the Information Ministry are; Plateau Radio Television Corporation (PRTV), Plateau State Publishing Company, (Publisher of Nigerian Standard Newspaper), Plateau Printing Press (PPP), Plateau State Information and Communication Technology Department Agency (PICTDA) and Plateau State Library Board.

Address head's of MDA's in separate budget defense session which took  place at the State House of Assembly Board Room, on 4th of December 2024, the House standing Committee Chairman on Information Hon. Cletus Sylvanus Kwarpo said, the scrutiny of  the Ministry and it's agencies is to ensure the budget presented to the committee is justifiable and reflects the realitic budget.

At the defense, the Committee were   able to look at the 2024 budget performance and 2025 budget proposal for Ministry, Department, and Agencies  as presented by the Executive Governor of Plateau State, His Excellency Barr Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang.

The Commissioner of Information and Communication Hon. Musa Ashoms who was asking for scale up of his Ministry Budget 2025 as against that of 2024 to enable it perform effectively and efficiently, said media related engagements, rather ministry of communication is a very sensitive ministry which helps in promoting not only government activities, but also to projects the state positive image to the World Economically, Socially, Politically, and of cause in other positive spheres.

The Commissioner frowned at the insinuations  of Committee  that the ministry did not accrue revenue to the coffers of the government commensurate to her 2024 approved budget, but pointed out that on the contrary, the ministry is not revenue making one, but service rendering to the government and the society.

The Commissioner explained that the Ministry of Information and Communication is undertake timely, credible and continuous gathering and communication of information on government policies, programmes and activities; and getting feedback for deeper democratic practice in Plateau and a prosperous, peaceful and secure state, so is incorrect to tag it as revenue making body.

He further explained that although some of the areas where the ministry would have been able to accrue revenue to the government coffers is Outdoor Advertising in the form of Billboard.

Revealed that there was lapping in that direction between Information and Communication ministry, with Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB), which the ministry didn't want to contest because all are for the good and development of the State.

The Commissioner further joined each parastatals under his Ministry right after he defend his budget.

The General Manager of State owed Television Plateau Radio Cooperation (PRTVC), Mrs Rita Kachellom Pam had gone next before the House Committee on Information to defend her 2025 Budget.

The House Committee Chairman Hon. Cletus Sylvanus Kwarpo posited after thorough scrutiny of the proposal, he appreciate (PRTV) for doing a good job, revealed that (PRTV) exceeded almost 90 percent in revenue generation to the State Government coffers.

The General Manager (PRTVC), Mrs Rita Kachellom Pam, promised to do her best to up scale the reception of the radio and TV beyond the state which is currently posing  complain to the  esteem viewers of the station.

She also promised to injects New ideas and programs Into the Cooperation that would  attract listeners from far and near, that will attract advert to the Cooperation and generate revenue to the government of the state.

Next before the Committee was the DG Plateau Printing Press Hon. S.B Rogo who said their major challenges they want the committee to help them on the issue of releases after the budget had been approved, according to him, no matter how hard working you are, you can achieve what you want without funds releases.

" We have a machine that procured during Senator David Gygang's administration 12 years ago, till now that machine have not put to use, in all of the northern Nigeria, that machine is one of the best, imagine that we are using that machine to print all the ballot papers for local government elections for some of the State, imagine where it will take us to in times of revenue generation, but the machine had never put to use even one's".

He requested on the House of Assembly Standing Committee for Budget Defense to assist the (PPP) to address these challenges by  pleading  with the Governor on behalf of the Agency.

Next before the Committee was the Plateau State Publishing Company, who are the Publisher of Nigerian Standard Newspaper lead by the General Manager Hon. Chris Gyang who also revealed the challenges of the Newspaper Company to include obsolete equipment which hamper the company's maximum performance.

The DG promise to do his possible best to change the face of Nigerian Standard Newspaper that would be the envy of all.

Others who defended their budgets include: the Plateau State Information and Communication Technology Department Agency (PICTDA) and Plateau State Library Board.

In an interview with Global News after the budget defense exercise, the Committee Chairman on Information Hon. Cletus Sylvanus Kwarpo harped on the need for Heads of MDAs to identify priority areas of interest and work closely with the people for whom the budget is made with a view to identifying their needs and thereafter incorporate them into what would be referred to as a “citizens’ budget”.

Hon. Matthew Sylvanus Kwarpo who doubled as Member Representing Mangu South Local  Government in the State House of Assembly, lauded the success of the Ministry of Information and Communication at the on going budget defense which aim to scrutinize various Ministries and Agencies budget to find out how realistic is their current budget, and how they implement their past budget one.

The Chairman rated PRTVC high under the Ministry of Information and Communication who he revealed exceeded almost 90 percent in revenue generation to the State Government coffers.

Revealed that the Committee is not to witch-hunt, but to ensure the right thing is done for the benefits of the people of Plateau State.

However hailed the success of the committee which the Chairman attributed to the Cooperations of the Ministry and it Agencies that the Committee was not to witch-hunt not even along Party line.

Popular posts from this blog

ECWA Bishara 1 Bukuru: Trustee's & 2 Others Drags Before Area Court Over Breach Of Trust

Image
By: Labaran Ahmed  A  Plateau State  Grade 1 Area Court of Bukuru has adjourned to the 3rd Day of April, 2024 for further mentioning in a suit challenging one  Rev Paul Posat , Lawson Mafiyai Registrar and Muhammed Ahmad Danla on criminal breach of trust , intimidation , conspiracy punishable with dead penalty . The Area Court of Grade 1  Bukuru holden at  Bukuru case  NO: ACB/DCR/38/2024 , between Ron Properties Nigeria Limited  , Samuel Kasuwa complainants and 3 others came up for mention but due to the fresh cross complain the matter was stalled . The counsel to the 1st and 2nd defendants, Barr J.D Danboyi raised objections on the issue of jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit but Honourable Justice Hincenth debunked that the issue bordering on validity under section 405 and the ground doesn't connect to the present case . . According to him, the jurist, administration of criminal justice order 2 rule 1 sub (b), we are not ready to hear cross complain because in the in...
Read more

College Of Health Matriculates 905 Newly Admitted Students Warns Against Cultists Activity

Image
By: Labaran Ahmed The Plateau State, College of Health and Technology Zawan on Thursday has matriculated 905 newly admitted students to study into various courses  programmes for the 2023/2024 academic session. Dr Jonathan Bulus the Acting Provost made this disclosure known to newsmen at the college during the Matriculation and oath taking ceremony held at the school premises, Jos South LGA of Plateau State. He urged the  matriculation and oath taking students to shun cultists activity and embrace their learning or the college wouldn't hesitate expel anyone found wanting.  The Ag. Provost,  urged the fresh students to   exhibit discipline, loyalty, honesty and good character at all times on while studying in the campus. He says that, " the oath that you just took is a serious contract  your taking on your self due to the penalty for perjury, now that you have done  this ritual, I'm inviting on you to do the needful,  so as to settle down  to do the business of proper learn...
Read more

WHY IS JOSHUA DARIYE QUIET OVER SACK OF BENARD?

Image
Senator Joshua Dariye is a well respected son of Bokkos and has benefitted immensely from the support given to him by the good indigenes which helped in making him a two term governor and two term senator.  Dariye waded into many negative issues affecting Bokkos to secure its freedom and rights.  On this premise, the people listen to him whenever he speaks. Dariye campaigned for the PDP during the governorship elections where so many indigenes raised questions over his support for Jonah Jang's protégé, Caleb Mutfwang, expressing fear that there could be a repeat of victimization against Bokkos as was the case in 2008 when Jang closed down Plateau State University Bokkos, and refused to complete the General Hospital and the fertilizer blending plant. Thereby making them moribund.  Dariye did not hesitate to give assurance that nothing of such would happen, but now it has happened by the removal of Professor Benard, son of the soil, from being the Vice Chancellor and replaced with Pr...
Read more