The Chairman, Nasarawa State House of Assembly Committee on Information, Mohammed Omadefu, has urged the state Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism to respect budgetary provisions in the interest of peace and development.
Omadefu said this when the state Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism, Yakubu Lawal, led the management of the ministry to appear before the committee on its 2022 budget performance assessment on Wednesday in Lafia.
Omadefu, who expressed dismay over spending by the ministry, advised the ministry to adhere strictly to budgetary provisions in the interest of peace and for the overall development of the state.
He assured of the committee’s readiness to partner with the executive arm in order to boost information dissemination, culture, and tourism in the state.
Omadefu underscored the importance of information in societal development, hence the need for synergy between the two arms to deliver on their mandates.
“I want to call on you to desist from over-spending as it is an offense since the over-spending by the ministry was done without approval,” he said.
According to him, the Speaker has directed us to perform this very important exercise in order to know your budget performance.
“We invited you to know your 2022 budget performance for the year under review. The exercise is not to witch hunt anybody but is to ensure that the right things are done by your ministry,” he said.
Omadefu, therefore, urged MDAs to respect the laws establishing them for the overall development of the state.
”I want to call on the office of the SSG and others to allow the state Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism to manage hotels, particularly, Blue Spring Hotel, Abuja, and other hotels in the state,” he added.
Omadefu further assured the ministry of their support to enable them to succeed.
“We will support and collaborate with you to make sure you succeed,’’ he said.
Earlier, the commissioner appreciated the committee for always supporting the activities of the ministry to succeed.
“I want to appreciate you for always supporting our activities to succeed and I call for its sustenance,” said Lawal.
The commissioner commended the good working relationship between the executive and legislative arms of government in the state.
He added that the good relationship had given room for speedy development across the state.
The commissioner re-assured of the ministry’s continued determination to boost information, culture, and tourism in the state.
He however told the committee that Nasarawa Luxury Hotel, Lafia, is under Nasarawa Investment and Development Agency (NASIDA) and Blue Spring Hotel is being managed by the office of the SSG instead of the ministry.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the oversight function had in attendance AlhajiYusuf Musa, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry among other management staff.