News

FG Budgets N366m For Anti-Hate Speech, Fake News Campaign

FG Budgets N366m For Anti-Hate Speech, Fake News Campaign

 

 

 

The Federal Ministry of Information and Culture has budgeted N336m to campaign against hate speech and fake news.

This is contained in the 2021 budget proposal presented to the National Assembly by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Thursday.

It reads in part, “ERGP9124023 Special enlightenment campaign on government policies and programmes; testimonial series to gauge impact of government policies on the citizenry, advocacy against fake news, hate speech, farmers-herder clashes, banditry, rape etc. ongoing- N336,015,959.”

The Federal Government has recently put in place several strict measures to tackle hate speech and fake news amid criticisms from rights groups that it is a ruse to stifle free speech.

The National Broadcasting Commission had recently amended the Broadcast Code, hiking the fine for hate speech from N500,000 to N5m, a move that has been challenged in court.

A bill that imposes death penalty on “any person found guilty of any form of hate speech that results in the death of another person is currently before the Senate.

Tagged “National Commission for the Prohibition of Hate Speeches”, the bill is sponsored by the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Abdullahi Aliu Sabi (APC, Niger State).

It states in part, “Any person who commits an offence under this section shall be liable to life imprisonment and where the act causes any loss of life, the person shall be punished with death by hanging.”

On offences like harassment on the basis of ethnicity, racial contempt, the bill proposes not less than a five-year jail term or a fine of not less than N10m or both.

Angela Davies

Recent Posts

PHOTOS: Davido Receives Luxury Car From Auto Firm For 32nd Birthday

Davido has received a luxury car from an auto firm for his 32nd birthday.  …

6 hours ago

VIDEO: How Primate Ayodele Foretold Simon Ekpa’s Arrest In 2023

Simon Ekpa, a Finnish-Nigerian separatist agitator and self-proclaimed Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government…

7 hours ago

Speaker Obasa Clarifies Negative Perceptions As Sanwo-Olu Presents 2025 Budget

Accuses detractors of peddling news of alleged governorship ambition.   Speaker of the Lagos State…

7 hours ago

Simon Ekpa, Four Others Arrested In Finland Over Terrorism Activities

Simon Ekpa and four others have been arrested in Finland over terrorism activities.   Glamtush…

11 hours ago

Davido Celebrates 32nd Birthday With ₦300m Donation To Orphanages

Davido is excited to celebrate his 32nd birthday with a ₦300m donation to orphanages.  …

13 hours ago

America Returnee Found Dead In Ogun Hotel

An American returnee has been found dead in an Ogun hotel.   Glamtush reports that…

13 hours ago