Abuja- The Minister of Information, Sen. Patricia Akwashiki, has stressed the need for adequate funding of the ministry and its parastatals.
She made the remark on Thursday in Abuja in her address at the 2014 Awards ceremony for outstanding staff of the ministry.
She said that poor funding had been hampering the productive output of the ministry.
“ It is essential that the funding gap in the Federal Ministry of Information is addressed so that it can boost the productive capacity of government publicity,” she said.
The minister commended the awardees for their hard work and urged them to brace up for the challenges ahead so as to deliver greater service.
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She commended the media for its coverage and objective reportage which, she said, had helped to promote the peace and stability Nigeria enjoys at the moment.
Akwashiki said the information sector remains the live wire of any democratic government.
“Information is a bridge between the masses and their government and government requires the media to convey their messages to the public,” she said.
In his address, the Head of Service of the Federation, Mr Danladi Kefasi, urged the recipients to remain focused and dedicated to their work.
He urged other members of staff of the ministry to rise up to the challenges by putting in their best to achieve the desired result.
“ I urge you all to rise-up and work hard because I will be glad to lead a courageous and vibrant workforce.
“I want to appreciate the management and staff of the ministry for the initiative,” Kefasi said.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, said the 15 awardees were carefully selected from ten different departments of the Ministry.
She said they were made to undergo rigorous screening process by officials of the National Productivity Centre before they were given the award. (NAN)