Senate invites Tinubu’s minister, Bagudu over low budgetary allocation to Creative Economy ministry
The Senate, on Thursday invited the Minister of Budget and Economy Planning, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu over the budgetary allocations to the Ministry of Art, Culture and Creative Economy.
It ordered Bagudu to appear before it on Friday 24th January, 2025 by 10am.
The Senate committee on Art, Culture and Creative Economy issued the invitation when the Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa appeared before it to defend the ministry’s 2025 budget proposal.
Irked by the low budgetary allocations of N4bn for a ministry with the potential to rake in billions of naira into the nation’s coffer, a resolution to invite the Minister of Budget and Economy Planning was reached.
Senator Osita Izunaso moved the motion to invite Bagudu, saying it’s appalling for only four billion naira to be allocated to the nation’s creative economy ministry.
Senator Izunaso stressed that a ministry with the second largest entertainment industry in the world must be given support and proper funding for it to contribute immensely to the nation’s revenue.
Seconding the motion, Senator Aniekan Etim Bassey questioned why the budget of the Ministry was six billion naira in 2024, but four billion naira in 2025 even when the ministry is now two ministries put together?
Musa Musawa had earlier told the committee that the ministry is looking forward to contributing over 100 billion naira to the nation’s coffer by 2030. But she noted that this can only be achieved if the right infrastructures are put in place for art, culture and entertainment to thrive in the country.
The motion received an overwhelming support from the lawmakers as the chairman of the committee, Senator Mohammed Onawo Ogoshi, declared;
“A motion has been moved and seconded, therefore this Senate committee hereby invite the Minister of Budget and Economy Planning for further interaction on the budget of the Ministry of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, on Friday 24th January, 2025 by 10:00 am”.