The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr.BabatundeFashola SAN, has described the 2020 Budget as pro- people and pro-state saying it would drive development of the states andenhancethe well-being of the ordinary people.
Speaking when the Chief Executive Officer of TVC Communications,Mr. Andrew Hanlon paid him a courtesy visit in his office, Mr.Fashola said that the budget is pro-state because 85 per cent of the VAT being raised is going back to the states (and local governments) to take care of salaries and infrastructure investment, while the remaining 15 per cent will go to the Federal Government for the development of infrastructure.
Charging journalists and the general public to look more at the content of the Budget instead of the numbers, the Minister declared: “The budget presented yesterday, everybody is just looking at the numbers, and how many people are doing the analysis aside the number?”
Adding that, “We focus more on developmental infrastructure; a completed road is a development drive, completed airport is also a development drive, these are the critical contents embedded in the budget not just the numbers.”
He said that people should look at the clear statement of intent of the budget as pro-people budget of growing the economy, raising money and not hurting people through unfavourable tax regime.
He described the 2020 budget as laudable and charged TVC Group and other media organisations to do critical analysis of the budget to enable them bring out the message to the general public.
In his response, TVC Communications CEO, Mr Andrew Halon expressed the readiness of his organisation to partnerwith the Ministry in disseminatingquality news to the over seven Million viewers that watch their station on a daily basis.
He added that the organisation has invested a lot of money in infrastructure and human capacity development to improve on their services and make their channel more attractive to viewers.
Stephen Kilebi
Deputy-Director (Press)
