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Tag: Alhaji Lai Mohammed

FG to provide 200,000 jobs for artists

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says over 200,000 jobs will be created with the N300 million credit facility provided by the Bank of Industry (BOI), for artists.

The minister made the disclosure at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), between BOI and the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) in Abuja on Friday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports the MoU was presented to the minister by Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, the Director-General of NCAC.
“I have been reliably informed that top on the list of the benefits that will accrue from this landmark MoU is creation of over 200,000 jobs for the sector.

“This is epochal and in line with one of the cardinal programmes of this administration, which is job creation and empowerment’’, he said.
The minister explained the MoU would act as a catalyst for the development of the country’s craft industries, create a financing window and assist NCAC members in capacity building.

Mohammed also said the MoU would encourage producers of cultural products and services to work toward attaining standard of modern practices in packaging of nation’s cultural products.
He said that the memorandum would also enable artists to compete favourably at the global markets and earn them a decent living.

Mohammed urged all states to take advantage of the loan for the development of the creative sector in their domains.
He said the details of how to access the fund would form a major part of discussions at the forthcoming meeting of Chief Executives of Culture in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, from May 9 to May 12.

The minister congratulated Runsewe for achieving the feat and putting the event together, few days after he assumed office.

He also appreciated the Acting Managing Director of BoI, Mr Waheed Olagunju, for his support and partnership.
The minister described the MoU as `a right step in a right direction and one of the biggest achievements the sector had recorded in recent time.’

He said the Ministry had signed MoU with local and international partners, including the Tony Elumelu Foundation and the British Council, to develop the capacity of creative artists.
Earlier, Runsewe said it was the first time in the history of the country that the industry was given a single digit approach to loans.

He disclosed that two other similar MoUs were in the offing for the development of the sector
Runsewe commended the minister for changing the nation’s narrative under his leadership and for his passion for the development of the culture and creative sector.

May 5, 2017
FG rejects Nigeria’s rating on press freedom

The Federal Government has described as “inaccurate’’ the recent survey by Reporters Without Borders, which alleged that Nigeria’s press freedom rating has been on sustained decline since 2015.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said this in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja to mark the World Press Freedom Day 2017.

According to the minister, President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration is committed to the freedom of the press.

He said in spite of the inaccurate and fake news saturating the media space, the Federal Government had not put a single journalist behind bars as a result of his or her professional conduct.

Mohammed said though there were reports that some states had been hard on some journalists and bloggers for alleged misconduct, it had not been the policy of this government to join issues with the media.

The minister reiterated Federal Government’s unflinching commitment to upholding the tenets of democracy, which include free press and freedom of speech.

He said the recent incident involving the Punch Correspondent covering the dState House, Olalekan Adetayo” is an aberration”.

Mohammed noted that the speed with which the order barring the correspondent from the State House was reversed lent credence to the fact that the government was not out to muzzle the press.

He recalled that the accreditation of the current Chairman of the State House Press Corps, Ubale Musa, which was withdrawn by the previous administration, was immediately restored upon the assumption of office by the Buhari Administration.

He said actions were to give the media unhindered access to the seat of power.

The minister pledged the readiness of the present administration to always create a conducive environment for the media to thrive and to continue to discharge its constitutional mandate without hindrance. (NAN)

May 3, 2017
Nigeria is getting out of Recession – Information Minister

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said on Saturday that Nigeria was gradually moving out of recession.

Mohammed, represented by the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Bayo Onanuga, made the assertion at the biennial convention of the Nigerian Guild of Editors in Lagos.

He said that going by a recent statement by the Central Bank Governor, the country would exit recession by the end of June.

“ There have been other pointers for the good news as well. For two consecutive months, the National Bureau of Statistics has also reported a fall in inflation rate.

“ The exchange rate is regaining some sanity.

“ As I said earlier, the worst appears to be over. We are clawing out of the woods of recession in weeks from now, “ the minister said.

Mohammed said that the Buhari administration and collective will of Nigerians had shamed doomsday prediction that our recession could worsen into a depression.

“ I hope, in our various media, we shall begin to focus more on the positive developments in our economy, the growth in agriculture and mineral development, since the NBS last year, let out the secret that the Nigerian economy recorded a negative growth in the first quarter of 2016, “ he said.

The minister said that recession was not peculiar to the country.

He said that the United States of America had experienced 47 recessions, some regressing into depressions.

“ Between 1980 and 2007 alone, the American economy experienced five recessions. The last one in 2007 was caused by the subprime mortgage crisis and led to the collapse of the US housing bubble,” he said.

Mohammed urged the media to stop the blame game and educate Nigerians on the efforts being made to end recession.

“ Informing the people that the government is working hard to end the recession will go a long way to give hope to the people.

“After all, it is said that ”if you keep hope alive, it will keep you alive” the minister said.

April 29, 2017
Mock JAMB Exam: FG urges free movement in states

The Federal Government has urged all State Governments to allow free movement of people on Saturday, to enable students to participate in JAMB’s Voluntary Mock Examination nationwide.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Friday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said the mock examination was being conducted ahead of the 2017 UTME.

Mohammed, in the statement signed by his Special Adviser, Mr Segun Adeyemi said the mock examinations were to enable interested students to familiarise themselves with the Computer-Based Test (CBT) environment.

April 28, 2017
Minister refutes report on Buhari working from home henceforth

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed says he “never said that President Muhammadu Buhari is to work from home henceforth”.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, the minister said the reporting in a section of the media of his post- Federal Executive Council (FEC) briefing that the President is to work from home henceforth is erroneous.

The statement signed by his Special Adviser, Mr Segun Adeyemi, the minister said “the President only decided to work from home today, not that he has decided to work from home henceforth”.

He said the headlines in a section of the media, ”Buhari to now work
from home – Lai Mohammed,” is a misrepresentation of his statement at the briefing.

Quoting verbatim the relevant section of his briefing, Alhaji Mohammed said: ”he (the President) wanted to rest today. .

“He asked the Vice President to preside over TODAY’S meeting.

“In addition, he also asked that all his files be taken home to him and he will be working from home today .” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Channels Television online report of the briefing quoted the minster correctly.

The report on the website of channelstv.com has the headline “Buhari to work from home today”

The report quoted the minister: “The President sent a word that he wanted to rest today and asked the Vice President to preside over today’s meeting.

“The president also asked that all his files be taken home to him and will be working from home today”.

April 26, 2017
Abuja runway completion credit to Buhari govt – Minister

The timely completion of the Abuja International Airport runway has confirmed that “Nigerians elected a responsive, responsible and capable federal government”, under President Muhammadu Buhari.

The minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said this on Wednesday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Mr Segun Adeyemi.

The completion of reconstruction of the Nnamikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and run way paved the way for the re-opening of the airport, after a six-week closure. And it was done ahead of schedule.

The Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika had vowed to resign his appointment as minister in the event that the deadline for the reconstruction was not met by the contractors handling the project.

The reopening of the airport for air operations came a day before the expiration of the official deadline and the first airline to land at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport was the Ethiopian Airlines which relocated to Kaduna Airport after Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport was shut down.

The minister said that the delivery of the project even before the scheduled date showed government’s ability to live up to its promise and rise up to any occasion, irrespective of how daunting the challenge may be.

He described as “a remarkable achievement” the ability of the government to complete the reconstruction of the runway within the stipulated time, despite doomsday predictions.

“The clock-work precision with which everything concerning the closure of the airport and the temporary relocation to the Kaduna Airport was handled is the clearest indication yet that Nigeria can tackle any challenge,” he said.

He noted that the rehabilitation of the Abuja-Kaduna road, the provision of effective security along the highway showed that
Nigerians have what it takes to make the country a proud member of the comity of nations.

Mohammed also hailed the perfect handling of the massive logistics involved in ensuring that the Kaduna Airport
was able to handle a large number of flights.

“It is to the credit of the security agencies and the Federal Road Safety Corps that passengers travelling along the ever-busy
Abuja-Kaduna highway were largely kept safe while the closure of the Abuja airport lasted.

“There was no known security scare while accidents on the road were kept at the barest minimum, despite the increased vehicular traffic.

“Who can forget the timely departure and arrival of the Abuja-Kaduna train that ferried thousands of passengers
back and forth during the Abuja airport closure?

“Indeed, the closure of the Abuja airport runway and the logistic nightmare it triggered must rank among the most intimidating
challenges faced by this Administration,” he said.

The Minister reminded those who might want to trivialize the feat by the present government to realize that what could not be done in the over 30 years the runway was left to deteriorate was achieved in just six weeks, even under an economic recession.

He also recalled that the Port Harcourt International Airport was closed for almost two years by the Jonathan administration.

Mohammed thanked Nigerians for enduring the inconveniences that came with the relocation of Abuja flights to Kaduna.

He also thanked the Ethiopian Airlines that operated its scheduled Abuja flights to Kaduna and the Julius Berger construction company that worked day and night to deliver the project ahead of schedule.

Mohammed said the success recorded in the timely reconstruction of the runway could only rank next to the determined effort with which the government contained the Boko Haram insurgency.

The minister noted that the current administration under the stewardship of President Muhammadu Buhari was employing the same uncommon determination to tackle all the challenges facing the country.

April 19, 2017
We‘ll review BPP Act, says Minister

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed yesterday said the Federal Government will review the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) Act to promote local goods and services.

He said the government was determined to diversify the economy through made-in-Nigeria goods and services.

Also, additional 28 offices for issuance of residence permits in Nigeria will soon be opened to attract foreign investors.

Mohammed who unfolded these plans at the ninth Town Hall Meeting of the Federal Government in Umuahia, said there is no going back in seeking alternative to oil.

He said the Change Begins With Me campaign, which was launched by President Muhammadu Buhari on Sept. 8 last year, was “aimed at achieving a paradigm shift in the way we do things.”

He said:“Boosting industrial development, especially through the local production of goods and services, is a major plank of this policy. Patronising made-in-Nigeria goods and services is also key to the success of the policy.

“In this regard, I can boldly say that Abia State is a pacesetter.

“Today, the state supplies high-quality military boots to our military, and that is just one of such impressive ventures by the state. So, while the state is boosting local production of goods and services, the military is patronising made-in-Nigeria goods.

February 28, 2017
Disallow BBN show, is against cultural values, lawmaker tells FGN

Chairman, committee on health service of the Lagos state House of Assembly, Hon. Olusegun Olulade has called on the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed to reconsider the implications of allowing the Big Brother Naija Show on Nigerian culture and youths.

Olulade, who represents Epe 2 constituency lamented that the contents of the Reality Show are completely foreign to the indigenous culture, which the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is trying to promote.

According to him, the government should swing into action through the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC), and ensure it stops the airing of such programme before it further causes serious damage to the culture.

His words: “The content of Big Brother Naija show is alien to our culture. This show is contrary to the rich cultural values we are trying to promote and bring to the front burner. It is sad that our young children including adults are made to watch such content.

“This kind of programme promotes obscenity and immorality. We must not encourage such if our hallowed cultural heritage would be preserved. We cannot prevent our inquisitive young ones from watching the obscene displays that permeate the show.

“I think the NBC should, without delay, stop this programme if this government means business in the promotion of our cultural values. The show does not add any value to our education, social and economic life,” the lawmaker said.

Olulade, who is the immediate past Chairman, House Committee on Information, Publicity, Security and Strategy, also advised the Federal Government to ensure adequate censor of information being aired and sent to the public, noting that such programme as Big Brother Naija is capable of causing distractions to the Nigerian youths and affecting many families.

“I will want to urge all parents and guardians to be on their guards and guide their children and wards against the implication of allowing them to keep watching the Show. Our children should not be allowed to be corrupt because this may affect their dreamed future,” he added.

Big Brother Naija is a Reality Show supposedly sponsored by PayPorte, an online shopping platform and aired by Africa Magic on Dstv.

February 23, 2017
Senate flays poor IGR by Information Ministry

The Senate has flayed poor Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) by the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, particularly from the culture and entertainment industry.

During a budget defence session on Tuesday, the lawmakers grilled the Information and Culture Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed over the N620, 000 his ministry generated in the entire 2016.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism, Senator Matthew Urhoghide, regretted that the ministry was only concerned about spending, with very little efforts at generating revenue.

Senator Urhoghide said, “Budget is not just about expenditure. No one is talking about revenue. We need a revenue profile. Each time you come, only expenditure is mentioned. How can you say it’s only N620, 000.00 that was raised by your ministry from the culture sector?

“We must exhaust all the avenues to generate funds internally. We seriously frown at your low and poor IGR. We query it. You must look inward because this is not acceptable”.

Urhoghide, also queried the Minister for using the funds to acquire, saying that the Senate appropriated N60 million for the ministry for the same purpose.

The committee chairman said the N60 million was meant to acquire land in Lagos, Edo and Adamawa states for the establishment of cultural industries in the three states.

Senator Urhoghide, who is from Edo state, queried the Minister for acquiring land in two of the states (Lagos and Adamawa) leaving out Edo state.

According to him, the initial budget was to accommodate six states, but was reduced to three, regretting that instead of the three, the Minister narrowed it down to two states.

But Lai Mohammad blamed the lapses on inadequate appropriation as well as delay in the release of funds to his ministry, adding that the procurement process was also cumbersome.

The Minister also cited inadequate release of appropriated funds and the placement of culture and tourism on the residual list as some of the challenges.

He lamented the existing structure, saying that it makes it difficult for the government to regulate the sector.

He also cited lack of political will on the part of stakeholders to develop the sector; as well as absence of convention bureau to attract big time events to Nigeria as a tourism destination.

Mohammed said, “There are several challenges militating against the smooth implementation of the required programmes/projects. Some of these are inadequate appropriation; delay in the release of funds; cumbersome nature of procurement process; partial release of appropriated amount; late passage of Appropriation Act; placement of culture and tourism on the residual list, which has made it difficult to regulate the sector; lack of political will to develop the sector and absence of convention bureau to attract big time events to Nigeria as a tourism destination”.

February 14, 2017
‘Treasury looters, greatest assaults to our collective rights’

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says that treasury looters are the greatest assaults on the collective human rights of Nigerians.

The minister stated this on Monday in Abuja at the inauguration of Human Rights Radio founded by Ahmed Isa, the Managing Director of Premier Broadcasting Ltd. and anchor of ‘’Embelembe’’ radio programme.

‘’The greatest assaults to our collective human rights are those people who have stolen our money.

“They are those people who have pocketed the money meant for roads, water, power and medical care.

“Those are the people who have assaulted our collective human rights, who have reduced the average Nigerians to nothingness and humiliated this country,” he said.

The minister said that the Federal Government`s unwavering anti-corruption fight is therefore geared towards the protection of the collective human rights of Nigerians.

He, therefore, called on all Nigerians to support the anti-corruption war for the country to attain its developmental goals.

Mohammed specifically urged Nigerians to assist the government in its whistle blowing policy by exposing treasury looters and rights violators.

“The whistleblowing policy is a very simple policy through which we encourage Nigerians who have any information about the violation of our rights, the commission of a crime, fraud or corruption or any Nigerian who knows where certain money is being held or kept to anonymously contact us.

“We will protect his or her identity and if the information leads to the recovery of money, he or she will be entitled to 2.5 per cent or 5 per cent of the money recovered.

“We have three channels of passing the information which could be through dedicated SMS, a portal and an e-mail address and all of them are secured,” he said.

The minister said that within two months of the declaration of the policy of whistleblowers, the government has been able to recover 160 million dollars and N8 billion.

He said the 9.7 million dollars kept in an uncompleted house in Kaduna by a former Group Managing Director of NNPC was recovered through the policy.

“Somebody gave us the information, we went there and saw the money loaded in fridges and boxes and the owners have admitted that the money belonged to him.

“He said the money was given to him by friends after he retired and we want those friends to come forward,” he said.

He added that 136 million dollars, N7 billion and another N1 million were respectively recovered from banks also as a result of the cooperation of whistleblowers.

“I want to put on record that the fellow through whom we recovered N1 billion in an account told us he does not want any commission from the government because that is his contribution to the country.

“But, I can assure you that we are not going to renege on our promise to the appropriate commission to anyone who gives us information that leads to recovery of money through this policy,” he said.

Mohammed noted that the challenge facing the nation’s economy was as a result of the alleged looting by the previous administration.

He said the government would remain determined and focused to end the difficult times that the people were passing through.

The minister commended Isa for his initiative and perseverance in establishing the first ever Human Right Radio, adding that the station would complement government’s efforts in protecting peoples’ rights.

The Chairman of the event and the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, said that the judiciary would partner with the radio station in enhancing the peoples’ rights.

Onnoghen, who was represented by the Chief Judge of FCT, Justice Ishaq Bello, commended the founder of the radio for his vision, perseverance and commitment to the cause of the poor in the society.

Earlier, in an address of welcome, Isa said the inauguration of the station was a dream come true and he would continue to use the platform to support humanity.

He said the station which would be committed to human rights in contents, is a trailblazer being the first of its kind in the entire globe.

February 13, 2017