Dr. Dili Ezughah, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Press Council (NPC), has expressed deep concern over the removal of the agency from the national budget, labeling it as a significant setback. This statement was made during a visit by the House of Representatives Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics, and Values to the council’s headquarters in Abuja.
Ezughah highlighted the adverse effects of this development, citing the hardships faced by the agency’s staff, including the inability to pay school fees resulting in many withdrawing their children and wards from school.
Despite the challenges, Ezughah expressed gratitude to the committee members for their efforts in addressing the situation, emphasizing the urgent need for a correction of what he described as a misclassification. He clarified that the NPC is a regulatory agency, not a professional body, as wrongly classified.
During the briefing, Ezughah also discussed 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 aimed at combating misinformation and disinformation on social media platforms.
In response, Mr. Fatoba Olusola, the Chairman of the House Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics, and Values, assured the committee’s commitment to reinstating the NPC in the budget. He pledged to take necessary actions to empower the council to effectively carry out its statutory functions.
Furthermore, Fatoba mentioned revisiting the enabling legislation to identify areas for possible amendments to enhance the agency’s performance.
The removal of the Nigerian Press Council, along with other professional associations, from the 2024 Appropriation Act underscores the urgency for corrective measures to ensure the agency’s continued operation and effectiveness.