Minister denies budgeting N3.4b for ‘Change Begins With Me’ campaign

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has denied reports that N3.4b was budgeted for the Change Begins With Me campaign.

The minister, who slammed the media for publishing the report, said the N3.4b is more that his ministry’s budget.

Mohammed cited the report which he described as false, as an example of the challenge which the democratisation of information dissemination technology poses.

According to him, “Anyone can wake up and decide to become an online newspaper publisher, an online television station owner, an online radio station operator, a purveyor of news, photographs and videos.

“They use the numerous social media platforms like Facebook, Whatsapp, Skype, Twitter and Instagram just to mention a few.

“They spread whatever information that catches their fancy without engaging in the rigours of accuracy, fact-checking and fairness imposed by the traditional media.

“But there is another problem: They have their own public, and this public believes whatever information they put out.”

President Muhammadu Buhari, on September 8, 2016, launched the “Change Begins With Me’’ campaign in Abuja.