BY LAIDE AKINBOADE
ABUJA— Senate President, Senator David Mark, said yesterday that the on-going disagreement between the Legislature and the Executive arms of government over budget implementation was being exaggerated.
ABUJA— Senate President, Senator David Mark, said yesterday that the on-going disagreement between the Legislature and the Executive arms of government over budget implementation was being exaggerated.
Mark who stated this at the launch of Startimes mobile television said Nigerians should not focus on figures but rather how the budget would be translated to the reality on ground.
He said the disagreement was in the best interest of Nigerians who want to see the dividend of democracy on ground.
Senate president said, “we should not preach about the percentage but rather worry more on how these percentages have been translated to realities on ground. Let me also say that, I think there is exaggeration over the rift between the executive and the legislature. We are all working for Nigerians, the legislators are the elected representatives of the people. We wear shoes and we know where it hurts most and I think people should listen to us.
Nigerians must get democracy dividends
“The disagreement is necessary for us to come to a conclusion. And the final objective for both the legislature and the executive is that the ordinary Nigerian in the street must get the dividend of democracy.
“So when we talk about whether we have implemented the budget to 56 or 21 or 36 per cents, the man walking in the street is not interested in this, he just wants to see structures on ground for him to utilize. He wants to be employed, eat three square meals in his house, have security in his business and enough power. The intricacies of how difficult or easy, the executive and the legislature would take for this thing to happen are truly not his problem. He is not interested”.
The Senate President, also challenged the management and staff of Nigeria Television Authority, NTA, and StarTimes to ensure that rural dwellers benefit from the newly introduced mobile television.
He stressed the need for the rural dwellers to be properly connected for the development of the nation.
According to him, “one thing we must emphasis is to make sure that people in our rural communities are able to benefit from this mobile television. It is only a limited percentage of people in urban areas that even benefit from DSTV or from the normal programmes that we have not only because of our incorrigible power holding, but there is no way we will talk of anything without bringing them into the discussion. Even in rural areas they like to watch television, they like access to a television programme. I think your present coverage needs to be extended in the rural areas. Your coverage should go beyond urban areas.
Cost of viewing must be affordable to Nigerians
You play a key role in democratic governance and you play a bigger role in developing democracy so your day-to-day activities should be a path to ensure that democracy develops in Nigeria,” the Senate President said.
He therefore urged NTA/Startimes to ensure that the contents must be the kind that people love to watch.
Mark added: Another issue I want to talk about is the cost. The cost must be affordable to the rural dwellers. If your cost is very high the rural man would go for a cheaper programme. The standard and quality of programme you present must be commensurate with the cost. “
Minister of Information and National orientation, Mr. Labaran Maku, in his address reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government switch from analogue to digital television by 2015.
He said the Ministry is doing everything possible to ensure that NTA comes up with fresh contents in it programme.
Startimes that was established two years ago, has over 130 channels, and cover seventeen states,
