Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, said he doesn't regret serving as a minister under the Buhari-led administration.

This was the minister's statement in Abuja when he appeared before Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation on Tuesday, November 1st to defend the 2023 budget proposal of the ministry.

A member of the committee asked the minister if he felt it was a privilege to be called upon to serve his fatherland. He replied that he had been effectively fulfilling his duties.

Speaking on his challenges, the minister said the ministry was not adequately funded to discharge its mandate of management of the image and reputation of the country and the promotion of its cultures. He said with the advent of the new media, his job, like that of other information managers, became more cumbersome.

He expressed regret, however, that there was no corresponding funding to match new problems being created by social media. The minister said notwithstanding the challenges, the ministry recorded tremendous achievements in the past seven years when he had been the minister.

“What I would consider the biggest achievement is deepening information flow between the government and the governed. Democracy is about the participation of all citizens, and nothing enhances citizens’ participation more than enhancing two-way communication between the government and the governed’’ he said