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Tag: Lai Mohammed

  • 15 agencies failed to account for N8.1tr under Jonathan – Lai Mohammed

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said that 15 revenue generating agencies of the federal government failed to remit N8.1 trillion to the Federation Account between 2010 and 2015.

    He spoke in Osogbo, Osun State, on Monday while commissioning the Channelization, De-silting, Flood Control and Development of Okoko and Ogbagba Rivers, phases one and two, on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He said the discovery by the auditing firm KPMG is many times worse than the N1.34 trillion carted away by 55 public officials between 2006 and 2013.

    “Recently, the Federal Government ordered an audit (between 2010 and 2015) of 15 government revenue generating agencies. The result was the discovery that the agencies had not remitted over 8.1 trillion Naira to the Federation Account. This amount is about six times the 1.34 trillion Naira that was stolen between 2006 and 2015.

    Read Also: Govt feeding 7.5m people not anti-youths, says Lai Mohammed

    ”It is also the equivalent, on the average, of the country’s yearly national budget! Imagine, for a moment, how many kilometres of roads could have been constructed, how many kilometres of rail tracks that could have been laid, and how many modern hospitals and schools that could have been built if that money had been properly accounted for,” Alhaji Mohammed said.

    He told the mammoth crowd at the commissioning that the Buhari Administration’s fight against corruption remains very critical because it will free the much-needed resources for national development.

    The Minister said the projects being executed by the present administration, including the one that was commissioned in Osogbo- one of 53 being commissioned across the country – could have long been completed but for the mind-boggling looting of the treasury by previous administrations, which deprived the nation of infrastructural growth

    He said that every kobo that is not looted is a plus for development, adding: ”This is why we will not stop talking about those who have looted the public treasury, despite the pushback from their apologists. If we do not stop the looting of the treasury, there will be no money for the kind of projects we are commissioning here in Osogbo today.”

     

  • Kwara youths defend Lai Mohammed on arrest of APC members

    Group under the aegis of Concerned Kwara South Youths on Friday said that Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed did not have a hand in the alleged arrest and subsequent transfer of some All Progressives Congress members in Kwara state.

    A faction of the APC under the umbrella of Kwara South Youth Stakeholders had on Thursday this week accused the police of arresting seven of its members from Kwara South senatorial district on trumped-up charges.

    The party added that the members were allegedly arrested, intimidated and witch-hunted in Kwara south during last Saturday’s local government congresses in the state.

    The group alleged that the arrest was orchestrated by Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

    Addressing reporters yesterday in Ilorin, spokesperson of Concerned Kwara South Youths Kayode Ogunlowo described the allegation against the minister as malicious and total falsehood calculated at projecting the minister in bad light.

    Mr. Ogunlowo added that the allegation was aimed at instigating members of the public against the minister.

    Read Also: Govt feeding 7.5m people not anti-youths, says Lai Mohammed

    Said he: “About a week ago, the state commissioner of police paraded some cultist in Ilorin. Various alleged criminal acts perpetrated by the cultists paraded and they made confessions of killing more than eleven other rival cultist and other people were mentioned by the police boss. Of all the alleged cultists, none is a native of Oro town and Kwara South.

    “Let us remind those sycophants to note that their leader on the floor of the Senate was the one who accused the IGP of not doing enough to stem the spate of killings and banditry across the country. If the IGP has now taken the challenge posed by their leader and decided to rise to the challenge and redouble his efforts at eradicating crime by moving against suspected criminal, what is the big deal in that?

    “May we also admonish the sycophants and scavengers that they will do well by waiting for the outcome of investigation before pointing accusing fingers at anyone. Blackmailing Alhaji Lai Mohammed or any Southern leaders cannot in anyway help those arrested. We strongly believe that if those arrested have nothing incriminating, they will be vindicated and they will be in good stead to seek redress in the court of law for unlawful arrest and detention.”

    The group, which claimed to loyal to President Muhammadu Buhari and his second term ambition added that “we warn the so-called Kwara South Youth Stakeholder and their sponsors not to contemplate harming the minister. Should anything happen to this illustrious son of Igbomina and pride of Oro, we shall hold them responsible.

    “President Buhari is hereby invited to come to the aide of his priceless minister before those whose stock in trade is to do evil. He should also direct the IGP to invite the leaders and sponsors of the group that unjustly accused the minister to substantiate their allegation.”

  • Privatization: Over 60% of enterprises have done well, Says BPE

    …Lai Mohammed heads BPE stakeholders engagement committee

    …committee to engage stakeholders

     

    Over 60 per cent of the privatized enterprises in the country have done well, the Director General of the Bureau for Public Enterprise (BPE), Mr. Alex Okoh has said.

    Okoh singled out power companies and the seaports as top performance despite the country’s infrastructural gap.

    Over 140 public enterprises across various sectors of the economy have gone through the process of either full or partial privatization or full or partial commercializations in the last 30 years.

    He spoke yesterday at the inauguration of the Stakeholders Engagement Committee (SEC) by the minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who is also double as the chairman of the committee.

    Okoh said: “In the last 30 years of the enterprise reform journey in Nigeria, the Bureau and its predecessor the TCPC have reformed over 140 public enterprises across various sectors of the economy including banking and Insurance, oil and gas, power, hospitality, pensions and telecommunications, through the process of full or partial privatization, full or partial commercializations and concessioning.

    “Of these privatized enterprises, over 60% have achieved a good level of performance. The power generation companies are performing very well. I can also tell you that the seaports are performing despite some Infrastructural constraints.”

    BPE boss however confirmed that there is a negative perception of privatization by Nigerians despite the success of privatization.

    The need to change the narrative, he said necessitated the setting up of the stakeholders engagement committee.

    “It can thus be seen that there is something of a mismatch between public perception of privatization and the reality of its value and contribution to the economy,” he posited.

    Stressing the need for the committee, the BPE boss said, “there is a clear and present need to build support and understanding for the Federal Government’s reform agenda by effectively communicating the considerable benefits of privatization.

    “There is also an urgent need to allay the concerns and fears of key stakeholders whilst ensuring that the interests of all stakeholders are taken into consideration,” he said.

    The committee Okoh also noted should help curb the activities of usurpers, which tends to compromise and conflict with the statutory functions of the National Council on Privatization and its secretariat, the Bureau.

    In his remark, Lai Mohammed noted that the current administration recognises and actively promotes the participation of private sector in the strategic economic agenda of the nation.

    He therefore assured the government that the committee will do everything possible to change the narratives.

    He stressed further that the function of the government is to provide enabling environment including providing critical infrastructure.

    He said: “let me use this opportunity to reiterate that the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari recognizes and actively promotes the participation of the private sector in the strategic economic agenda of the nation.

    The committee he added: “is also saddled with a huge responsibility of reaching out to all stakeholders. That is why it is has become very necessary for us to do all that we can to ensure that the committee lives up to its responsibilities by ensuring that we identify and maintain contacts with various stakeholders and opinion leaders; and advise Council on their interests and concerns about the  programme which is one of the requirements of the committee.

    “This pro-business posture of the government is eminently reflected in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan of this government.

    “We believe that the key business of government is to provide an enabling environment for private businesses to thrive and build economic prosperity for the generality of Nigerians, including the provision of critical infrastructure through Public Private Partnership.”

  • Nigeria needs N16.56tr for its rail projects — Amaechi

    Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi says Nigeria needs not less than N46 billion dollars (about N16.56 trillion) to construct its three major speed rail lines.

    The minister said this on Tuesday in Papalanto, near Abeokuta, Ogun State during a joint inspection of the Lagos-Ibadan standard rail gauge with the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

    He said the three speed rail line projects – Lagos to Kano, Lagos to Calabar and Port Harcourt to Maiduguri – were crucial to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The minister said that although the government did not have the fund ready to finance the projects, but the President had directed him to source for the fund because of the importance of the projects.

    “We don’t have the money available but we have to source it.

    “The Federal Government must look for the money; we may likely borrow the money because the money is not just there.

    “For now, the Chinese are funding the Lagos to Kano rail project and any of those that we have approached, when they give us money for the other two projects we will gladly take,” he said.

    Amaechi said that the private sector funding of the project was not visible because “there is no way in the world where railway is constructed by private sector.

    “This is because it is a long time investment and the money will not be recovered in time”.

    The minister said that he had approached the Russian Nexim Bank for funding of any of the rail project.

    Speaking on the 156km Lagos-Ibadan rail project, Amaechi said they were working to meet the December 2018 completion deadline.

    He said upon completion, it would take a speed train of 150km per hour that would travel from Lagos to Ibadan in one hour.

    “We will introduce express train that will take off from either Apapa or Ebute Metta straight to Abeokuta and to Ibadan.

    “We will also introduce train that will stop in all the nine stations to give passengers choices,” he said.

    The minister said that no fewer than 7000 jobs have been created by the Lagos-Ibadan rail project.

    Amaechi said that government had commenced rehabilitation of the narrow gauge to reduce the pressure of cargoes on the road, adding that the challenges on the standard gauge were the track.

    He said the track was moving on slow pace of 15km per hour but upon addressing the challenges on the tracks the speed would increase to the maximum 80km per hour.

    On his part, the information minister said that they embarked on the project inspection to showcase the massive work the Buhari administration had done on infrastructure.

  • Looters list: Dokpesi sues Lai Mohammed for N5b

    Daar Communications Plc chairman High Chief Raymond Dokpesi has sued Minister of Information Lai Mohammed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory over the publication of his name as a looter.

    He is seeking N5billion damages for alleged defamation of character.

    He is also praying for an order compelling the defendants, including Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami (SAN), to publish a full retraction of the defamatory publications and to apologise to him.

    Dokpesi said the defendants allegedly sent his name as a looter to the United State Embassy, which in turn notified him on March 16 that his visa had been revoked.

    The US Embassy, he said, told him it was because his name was among a looters list submitted to it by the Federal Government.

    The plaintiff said the publication of his name as a looter was malicious since he has not been convicted by any court of competent jurisdiction.

    Dokpesi prayed that the retraction and apology to him be published both in the social media and in newspaper and televisions stations.

    In the suit filed on Monday through his lawyer Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), Dokpesi is also praying for a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants or their agents from further making any defamatory publications against him, and N50million as cost of the action.

    The publications, he said, have prejudiced his constitutionally guaranteed rights to presumption of innocence until proven guilty, and that his right to fair hearing as enshrined in the Constitution has been blatantly violated.

    “The defendants’ defamatory publications are malicious and calculated to overreach and prejudice my fair trial and for purposes of stampeding and cowing the court to convict me at all cost by agreeing with the defendants’ skewed position,” the plaintiff said.

    Dokpesi said on March 30, the defendants allegedly defamed him by publishing his name as treasury looter in a news conference on the basis that he is on trial for allegedly receiving N2.2billion from the office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

    According the plaintiff, the defamatory words were understood to mean that he is a corrupt and crooked person, a dishonest man and a thief, unfit to hold public office, incapable of being trusted with public funds and a man lacking in integrity.

    “The defamatory words of the defendants were carefully schemed and embarked upon by the defendants as a way of vendetta to denigrate, disgrace, embarrass, humiliate and subject me to inhuman and degrading treatment before right thinking members of the public and the society at large,” he said in a supporting affidavit.

    Dokpesi claimed that as a result of the publications, his reputation has been seriously injured as he has suffered considerable “distress, odium, obloquy, ridicule, anxiety” and castigating media analyses.

    The plaintiff added that he has received calls from people locally and internationally who “expressed their disappointment that they never knew that he was a man of dubious character” despite his distinguished career in the private and public sectors.

    The plaintiff said he built his reputation in the private and public sectors, having been an assistant lecturer in Marine Transport Economics at the University of Gdansk, Chief Planning Officer at the Nigerian Ports Plc, Head of Water Transport Division at the Federal Ministry of Transport and Aviation, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Baldok Shipping Lines Ltd and chairman of Daar Communications Plc, among others.

    He said he also held several national appointments, and has received countless awards and recognition.

    Dokpesi said his friends, professional colleagues and family members have been looking down on him since the publications, with many of them avoiding him “as they now see him as a questionable, dubious and dishonest person.”

    The plaintiff said unless the defendants are perpetually restrained, they would continue to do damage to his reputation.

    No date has been fixed for hearing of the suit which was filed on Monday.

  • Lai Mohammed mourns Oyo speaker, Tambuwal’s aide

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has described as untimely and shocking the death of the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Michael Adeyemo.

    Mohammed also expressed shock and sadness over the sudden death of Mr Imam Imam, the Special Adviser on Media to Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State.

    In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the minister said  death had cut short the rising profile of Adeyemo in the nation’s political scene.

    While expressing his condolences to the people and government of Oyo State, he prayed that God will grant repose to the soul of the departed and comfort the late Speaker’s family.

    Mohammed also  paid tribute to Imam, whom he said he had cause to interact with many times in his lifetime, describing him as “a quintessential journalist and a valuable aide of his principal.’’

    He expressed his condolences to Tambuwal whom  he said  had suffered a personal loss with the demise of his long-time aide.

    The minister prayed that God will take Imam to his bosom and also give his family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

    NAN

  • Expectations, opportunities as Buhari visits Trump at White House

    President Muhammadu Buhari would be hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday at the White House to discuss issues, including fighting terrorism and economic growth.

    Buhari, during the one-day official working visit to the U.S. at the invitation of Trump, would have bilateral meeting with the U.S. president and a working lunch.

    “President Trump looks forward to discussing ways to enhance our strategic partnership and advance our shared priorities: promoting economic growth and reforms, fighting terrorism and other threats to peace and security, and building on Nigeria’s role as a democratic leader in the region.

    “The relationship of the United States with Nigeria is deep and strong, and Nigeria’s economic growth, security, and leadership in Africa will advance our mutual prosperity,” the White House said.

    International affairs experts say Buhari’s U.S. visit is strategic in many fronts, especially in view of the fact that the Nigeria-U.S. relationship was not too good prior to the inauguration of Buhari as president.

    They say Buhari, being the first democratically-elected African President that would be hosted by Trump since his inauguration and also being the first African leader Trump spoke to on phone following his inauguration as the U.S. president, speak volume.

    They also note that former U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Nigeria in March in a first five-country African tour embarked upon by any official of the Trump administration.

    These historic events, the experts say, apart from reaffirming Nigeria’s strategic position in Africa, raised a lot of expectations and opportunities during the visit.

    The Special Adviser to Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, highlighted some of the expectations and opportunities.

    “The meeting is to discuss ways to enhance the strategic partnership between the two countries and to advance shared priorities, such as promoting economic growth, fighting terrorism and other threats to peace and security.

    “The meeting will further deepen the U.S.-Nigeria relationship as the United States considers Nigeria’s economic growth, security and leadership in Africa to be critical aspects of their strategic partnership.

    “Later in the day, President Buhari will meet with a group of business persons in agriculture and agro-processing, dairy and animal husbandry,” Adesina said.

    Ahead of the visit, meetings were scheduled between senior Nigerian Government officials and executives of major U.S. companies in the areas of agriculture, aviation and transportation.

    The presidency said the Nigerian officials would be meeting with Boeing, the largest aircraft manufacturer in the world, on the National Carrier Project.

    On agriculture, the Nigerian delegation will also meet with large equipment manufacturers with focus on harvesting and post harvesting equipment.

    In the area of transportation, the officials will meet with the GE-led consortium for the implementation of the interim phase of the narrow gauge rail concession.

    A substantive concession agreement will be negotiated and finalised, to provide the consortium the opportunity to invest an estimated two billion dollars, to modernise the rail line from Lagos to Kano and from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri.

    In addition, the concession framework and the interim phase framework agreements are expected to be signed during the visit.

    The Nigerian officials will also meet with U.S.-EXIM Bank and the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation to explore competitive financing arrangements.

    U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington, said the Buhari-Trump meeting “will be a very high level meeting; it will help the U.S. to also understand Nigeria’s projection”.

    “There will be independent conversation on security, governance, the Lake Chad Basin and Nigeria’s role as a democratic leader in the region,’’ Symington said.

    Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, also described the visit as a sign of the growing cooperation between the U.S. and Nigeria.

    Mohammed said: “There will be independent conversation on security, governance, the Lake Chad Basin and Nigeria’s role as a democratic leader in the region.”

    “The meeting between President Trump and President Buhari will centre majorly on security and the economy and I think it’s not by co-incidence and I think it’s quite important.

    “He ( Buhari ) is the President of the most populous country in Africa, the president of the country with the largest economy in Africa.

    “And this is quite important because it is going to offer the opportunity for the two countries to reset their ties.

    “And I think it’s probably the fact that the world is now understanding that Nigeria is very strategic not just to the sub-region but the entire Africa,” Mohammed said.

    Amb. Hakeem Balogun, Nigeria’s ambassador to Indonesia, sees a very positive outing, saying the Nigeria-U.S. relation has improved greatly since Buhari became president and described the relationship as “very warm”.

    “The Nigeria-U.S. relationship is quite good. It’s been very warm and lovely ever since the coming of this administration.

    “Prior to President Buhari’s ascendancy, the relationship was sort of lukewarm following the American’s complaints over Nigeria’s handling of security issues, human rights allegations, issues of corruption, issues of governance.

    “These are issues which the present government has come in to make the focal point of its administration. And no doubt, even since then, our relationship has been very robust.

    “Our relationship has entered the fulcrum of the Bi-National Commission and based on that, it has formed the bedrock of our relationship; the bi-national commission is the foundation, the basis of the relationship between both countries.

    “Well within the bedrock of that bi-national commission, are issues of good governance, corruption, security and others, which formed the basis of our relationship with the United States.”

    On Corruption, Balogun, who was Nigeria’s former Charge d’ Affaires in U.S., said the U.S. was quite impressed with how far Nigeria had gone in the fight against corruption under Buhari.

    “They (U.S.) really have this belief that the person of Mr President was okay to handle the issue of corruption in Nigeria and that he’s been doing well.

    “So I can definitely tell you that the United States is pleased with what we’ve been doing at that level, ditto the efforts to revive the economy,” Balogun said.

    To corroborate Balogun’s assertion, Trump, during his phone conversation with Buhari in February 2017, discussed the strong cooperation between the U.S. and Nigeria, including on shared security, economic, and governance priorities.

    Trump underscored the importance the United States places on its relationship with Nigeria, and he expressed interest in working with Buhari to expand the strong partnership.

    The leaders agreed to continue close coordination and cooperation in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria and worldwide.

    The U.S. president, particularly expressed support for the sale of aircraft from the U.S. to support Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram.

    Trump thanked Buhari for the leadership he has exercised in Africa and emphasised the importance of a strong, secure, and prosperous Nigeria that continues to lead in the region and in international forums.

    Balogun also said Buhari’s visit would be a win-win for both countries considering Nigeria’s ability to rally Africa on any issue at the international stage, a diplomatic advantage, which U.S. desperately needs.

    “The U.S. recognises Nigeria as the leader on the continent. It shows that if they (U.S.) have to have a foothold in Africa or to do something in Africa, anything positive, they need the support of Nigeria.

    “All our activities in the troubled spots in Africa – the championed peace on the continent and even beyond the continent; we’ve always been there on peaceful missions around the world,” Balogun said.

    NAN

  • Looters list: Court restrains FG from further mentioning Secondus

    A Rivers High Court in Port Harcourt has restrained the Federal Government from further mentioning Prince Uche Secondus, the National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) in the looters’ list recently published by the government.

    The Chief Judge of Rivers, Justice Adama Iyayi-Lamikanra, who gave the order on Monday, also ordered that the hearing notice be served the respondents by the plaintiff.

    The order followed a motion brought by Secondus seeking an interlocutory injunction against further publication of his name on the list.

    Secondus, in Suit PHC/1013/2018, is suing the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Federal Government and Vintage Press for alleged libel.

    He is asking the court to award him N1.5 billion damages for the alleged libel.

    He said listing him as a looter who collected N200 million on Feb. 19, 2015 from the Office of the National Security Adviser was libellous.

    The PDP chairman’s counsel, Mr Emeka Etiaba (SAN), said that the judge could hear the suit because his client was defamed by the publication.

    The respondents were not present in court and the judge adjourned the matter until April 28.

    NAN

  • Govt feeding 7.5m people not anti-youths, says  Lai Mohammed

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed ,yesterday said it is wrong for people to tag President Muhammadu Buhari or his government as anti –  youths.

    Mohammed said the Buhari-led administration is committed to youth development, stressing that this informed why the government has engaged 100,000 unemployed graduates and feeds 7.5 million people daily.

    The minister, who made this known  while fielding questions from reporters  in Abeokuta, the  Ogun State capital, during  the ongoing African Drum Festival, wondered why a government that is doing all of these should be deemed anti – youths.

    He dismissed reports quoting President Muhammadu Buhari as describing all Nigerian youths as lazy, saying the spinning is the work of people who have made twisting of whatever the President says, as their “full-time job.”

    He noted that the social investment programme of Buhari’s administration has continued to generate jobs and created opportunities for the increasing youth population while the empowerment programmes have  been providing soft loans to over 400,000 youths.

    “Some people have just made it their full-time job these days to scrutinise and twist whatever the president says out of context.

    “ I wonder how a government that has employed 100,000 unemployed graduates and also feeds about 7.5 million people daily could be tagged anti-youth.

    “Our social investment programmes have continued to generate jobs and created opportunities for our teeming youths while our empowerment programmes have been providing soft loans to over 400,000 youths.

    “ Millons of families and individuals have continued to benefit from our Conditional Cash Transfer initiative.

    “This is a government that is so concerned and passionate about youth development and it is not right for people to begin to quote Mr President out of context and thereby incite the youths against the government.

    “ Critics should judge us by our actions and not by their emotions, “ he said.

    The minister noted that the drum festival had continued to grow better and larger since its first edition in 2016.

    “The festival which started in 2016 as solely Nigerian affair is now drawing participants from African countries.

    “I am sure that with the complexities and nature of those in attendance this year, the festival will soon become a global affair, “ he said.

    On the drum festival, Mohammed described drum as a connecting cord  that  binds the African continent together.

    He said the festival would  ensure that the continent did not completely lose touch with its past.

    He said Africa should consider ways of adding value to drum for preservation in the light of the incursion of other musical instruments from the western world.

    “We have learnt from this festival that drum is not just for music but there is something deeper and connecting about drum as far as Africa is concerned,” he said.

  • Govt that feeds 7.5 million people not anti – youths – Lai Mohammed

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alh. Lai Mohammed on Friday, said it is wrong for people to tag President Muhammadu Buhari or his government as anti –  youths.

    Mohammed said Buhari-led administration is committed to youth development, stressing that this informed why the government has engaged 100,000 unemployed graduates and feeds 7.5 million people daily.

    The Minister who made this known  while fielding questions from reporters  in Abeokuta, the  Ogun State capital, during  the on- going African Drum Festival, wondered why a government that is doing all of these should be deemed anti – youths.

    He dismissed reports quoting President Muhammadu Buhari as describing all Nigerian youths as lazy, saying the spinning is the work of people who have made twisting of whatever the President says, as their “full  – time job.”

    He noted that the social investment programme of Buhari’s administration has  continued to generate jobs and created opportunities for the increasing youth population while the empowerment programmes have also been providing soft loans to over 400,000 youths.

    “Some people have just made it their full-time job these days to scrutinise and twist whatever the president says out of context.

    “I wonder how a government that has employed 100,000 unemployed graduates and also feeds about 7.5 million people daily could be tagged anti-youth.

    “Our social investment programme have continued to generate jobs and created opportunities for our teeming youths while our empowerment programmes have been providing soft loans to over 400,000 youths.

    “Millons of families and individuals have also continued to benefit from our Conditional Cash Transfer initiative.

    “This is a government that is so concerned and passionate about youth development and it is not right for people to begin to quote Mr President out of context and thereby incite the youths against the government.

    “Critics should judge us by our actions and not by their emotions, ” he said.

    The minister noted that the drum festival had continued to grow better and larger since its first edition in 2016.

    “The festival which started in 2016 as solely Nigerian affair is now drawing participants from African countrie.

    “I am sure that with the complexities and nature of those in attendance this year, the festival will soon become a global affair,” he said.

    On the drum festival, Mohammed described drum as a connecting cord  that  binds the African continent together.

    He said the festival would ensure that the continent did not completely lose touch with its past.

    He said Africa should consider ways of adding values to drum for preservation in the light of the incursion of other musical instruments from the western world.

    “We have learnt from this festival that drum is not just for music but there is something deeper and connecting about drum as far as Africa is concerned.

    “It is so central and significant to the lives of various communities in Africa because it serves as an instrument used to herald different situations like wars and festivities and people can interpreted it when it is beaten.

    “What we are doing with this festival is to go behind and beyond drum and see what exactly it means for Africa.

    “As I look at the drums from Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Ghana and others, I see something connecting us by their shapes, build and other features.

    “We will continue to spend time, energy, funds and other resources to explore the role and  importance of drums, particularly in the African context.

    The festival commenced on Thursday  with 20 states, 40 African countries as well as about 30 individual cultural groups in attendance. It  would end this Saturday.