The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Press Council (NPC), Dili Ezughah, has voiced concerns over the removal of the agency from the national budget, describing it as a significant setback. Speaking during an oversight visit by the House of Representatives Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics, and Values, Ezughah highlighted the adverse impact of the agency’s exclusion from the budget.
Ezughah lamented that the removal from the budget had caused hardship for NPC staff, with many facing challenges in paying school fees for their children and wards. He expressed gratitude to the committee for its efforts to address the situation and emphasized the urgent need for a correction of the misclassification that led to the agency being wrongly categorized as a professional body instead of a regulatory agency.
During the briefing, Ezughah outlined ongoing reforms within the council, including the establishment of a marketing department to enhance internal revenue generation and the development of a fact-checking app to combat misinformation and disinformation on social media platforms.
In response, the Chairman of the House Committee, Fatoba Olusola, pledged the committee’s commitment to reinstating the NPC in the budget. He assured that the committee would take necessary steps to empower the council to fulfill its statutory functions effectively. Additionally, Olusola stated that the enabling legislation would be reviewed to identify areas for amendment to optimize the agency’s performance.
The Nigerian Press Council, along with other professional associations, was notably absent from the 2024 Appropriation Act. However, with the assurances from the House Committee, there is hope for the reinstatement of the NPC in the budget to support its vital role in regulating the press and promoting ethical standards in journalism.
