The Chairman, House Committee on Information, Ethics and Values, Rep. Olusola Fatoba, has assured of improved budgetary allocation for the Ministry of Information and National Orientation in 2025.

Fatoba disclosed this when he paid an oversight visit to the ministry in Abuja.

“We are on the same page with the Minister on the issue of low budgetary allocation for the ministry in the 2024 budget. The Ministry cannot perform its function effectively with poor funding.

“We would do everything within our powers, including lobbying, to ensure that the ministry is better funded to perform its function of educating Nigerians on government programmes and policies.

“We would also work with stakeholders to ensure improved budgetary allocation for the Ministry in the 2025 budget to enable its carry out its functions effectively, and deliver on its mandate,” Fatoba said.

Earlier, the Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, had said that in a meeting with the committee in 2023, discussions were targeted at improved funding for the information and orientation sectors of the country.

“I know the efforts that the chairman and members of the committee, together with their counterparts in the Senate, put in to ensure that my ministry is properly funded to execute its mandate.

“Theirs, and our combined efforts have not given us the kind of budget that we should have for this ministry in view of the transformative journey that the ministry has embarked upon.

“We believe that the ministry has a critical role to play in ensuring that everything that the government wants to do is properly communicated, and Nigerians get to know, understand and support government policies and programmes.

“However, criticism is a very healthy thing and we all know that president Bola Tinubu is a democrat, who is always open to criticism that is healthy, progressive and aimed at moving the country forward.

“At the ministry, are not happy with the  kind of budget that we have, because the allocation being made for the ministry is, to say the least, very meagre,” Idris said.

The minister lauded the committee for its support, adding that the executive was looking at the challenges being faced by the ministry to ensure that it got the appropriate funding to transform the sector.

Idris said that sometimes the ministry had to go the extra mile to use its contacts and goodwill within the industry to get things done.

“I think that Nigerians, especially the media, are very ready to help but of course, we also know that they are in business. They need to power their generators and pay their staff.

“Therefore, we also need to pay them.  We should not take the relationship for granted,” Idris said.

Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State has appealed to workers in the state for patience, saying he remained committed in doing everything needed to make their condition better.

Mbah made the appeal at the 2024 Workers Day Celebration held at Okpara Square in Enugu on Wednesday with the theme: “People First.”

He said his administration would stop at nothing until it achieved workers’ welfare and would strive to fulfil his campaign promises.

The governor, represented by his Deputy, MrIfeanyiOssai, while acknowledging that workers needed improved wages to meet economic realities in the country, stressed  that the income they received currently hardly met the basic needs of life.

“We all go to the same market, buy from the same petrol station and shops and children go to the same school and hospital.

“Be patient with us because we are putting things in place with the means available to the government to make life better for all of us.

“Wage award will not solve all the problems as it is just a palliative to cushion the effects of the hard economy and that is why we are building a system that will solve the problems in the long run,” he said.

He added that:  ”You can witness the revolution in road infrastructure, aggressive work at International Conference Centre, the awarding of a contract to rebuild Hotel Presidential and revitalisedNigergas Company.”

On the state’s  investment in SMART Schools, the governor said the  government desired to do more but lacked the  resources to meet them

“That is why we try to create wealth, and have been aggressive on our foreign and local investments and creation of jobs.

“And our wish and efforts is that in years to come, the workers will live beyond what they are currently facing.”

The governor further explained that his administration was building the SMART schools to train Enugu children for the future as well as improving  public schools and healthcare systems.

He stressed that with an effective transport system,  pressures on families would reduce as their would be no additional cost in maintaining their cars.

While commending workers for the support they had received from them since they assumed office, he promised to look into pension issues to ensure that every retiree got paid.

“I want to thank you for your hard work and commitment in driving government policies to ensure that they benefit the people,” Mbah said.

Earlier, the State Chairperson, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Fabian Nwigbo, said the removal of fuel subsidy without anything in place to cushion the effects, created a lot of hardship for workers who received N30, 000 as minimum wage.

Commending Mbah for all his government was doing in the state, the chairperson urged him to ensure that after the verification of pensioners, payment of arrears of gratuity should commence to alleviate their sufferings.

He equally appealed to him to direct payment of arrears of pension to State Parastatals, Primary Schools and Local Government retirees.

On his part, the state Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade BennethAsogwa, urged the governor to harmonise gratuity for state and local government retirees.

He also called for the review of the termination of the appointment of some staff of the Enugu State College of Education (Technical).

While lauding the governor for various developmental strides in the state, Asogwa equally appealed to him to regularise  appointment of some civil servants recruited in 2012 by the Coal City Transport Services.

The highlight of the event included a march past by different labour unions in the state.

Jigawa Government has announced a new agricultural programme called “J-Agric” to ensure a brighter future for civil servants.

Gov. Umar Namadi announced the programme on Wednesday in Dutse at the 2024 Workers Day celebration.

He explained that under the programme, the government would provide opportunities for workers to invest in agriculture.

He said, “I’m glad to unveil a new programme initiated by this administration to secure the present and future lives of our workers.

“A sustainable agricultural programme is underway to provide free farmlands and financial loans to Jigawa civil servants for the purpose of agriculture.

“The state government, through the J-Agricprogramme, will provide greater opportunities for workers to invest in agriculture.”

Namadi added that under the programme, the government shall facilitate workers’ easy access to farmlands and credit facilities through cooperatives and other financial institutions.

This, he said, is to assure workers and their families a brighter future even after retirement.

“This is part of the administration’s plans through deliberate policy to improve the lives of people and food security,” Namadi said.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, MrSunusiAlhassan, commended the governor for the gesture.

Alhassan, however, urged the state government to expedite the launch of the programme as the rainy season is fast approaching “so as to ensure maximum benefit for all.”