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Tag: Lai Mohammed

  • Buhari dispatches four ministers to Dapchi

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday ordered four ministers to proceed to  Dapchi in Yobe for update on the release of the female students abducted in February.

    The Ministers include Mansur Dan-Ali, Defence; Abdulrahman Danbazau, Interior; Lai Mohammed, Information; and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs Khadijat Abba-Ibrahim.

    The four ministers left the weekly Federal Executive Council ( FEC ) meeting for the trip to Dapchi.

    Before their departure, the Information Minister confirmed that 76 of the released girls had been documented.

    According to him, when the girls were dropped in their school by the abductors many of them went straight home to reunite with their parents.

    “I can confirm that the Dapchi girls have been returned, what we can confirm to you is that Mr President did actually assure Nigerians that the abducted girls would be released, but he also said that violence and confrontation would be ruled out.

    “Based on that, the Federal Government with support of friendly countries embarked on back term negotiations; this back term negotiation has led to the release of these girls.

    “What I can confirm today is that these girls were released yesterday, but on the conditions, number one is that they were released unconditionally; no money changed hands.

    “Number two, they had one condition to return them to where they picked them.

    “So in the early hours of today they did return the girls but of cause most of the girls went to their parents homes,’’ Mohammed stated.

    According to him, efforts are now being made to document all the girls, adding that at the moment, 76 of them have been documented while “they are still more.’’

    He promised to give update on the incident from time to time.

    “It is a day of joy for Nigerians. What I can assure you is that Mr president has kept his promise.

    “The girls have been released and we will tell you exactly in a few hours time how many of them have been documented.

    “They were not molested,’’ he added.

    Also, Defence Minister, Mansur Dan-Ali attributed the early release of the girls to “the effort of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces for the support he has been giving us and the output is showing now.”

    Read Also: Buhari greets Merkel, Putin on re-election

    On the negotiations, the minister said that while it was being planned the government was prepared to move on a position of strength.

    Also Minister of state for foreign Affairs, Khadijat Abba-Ibrahim said: “I am very excited today. That is what I feel because the Dapchi girls have been released.

    “We are very happy. We have achieved what we have gone out to achieve and we thank the Almighty God for his mercies.”

    She declined to mention if any of the girls was killed.

    “As far as I know now, they are taking a roll call so we cannot ascertain how many have passed on, but we will find out later on what the casualties are.’’

    The minister advised parents not to be discouraged by the incident but to continue encouraging their female children to embrace education.

    “I will advise parents to continue sending their children to school.

    “We as a government will fortify the schools to make sure that they are safe for the children to actually go and learn,’’ Mrs Abba-Ibrahim said.

    NAN

  • FG working to end open defecation – Lai Mohammed

     

    The Federal Government is doing everything possible to end open delectation in the country, the Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed has said.

    Mohammed posited that open defection was responsible for majority of diseases and high mortality rate among under five children in Nigeria.

    He spoke on Tuesday stated in Jos, Plateau state, during a two-day media dialogue on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) projects organized by the Federal ministry of information in conjunction with United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF).

    The minister who was represented by a Deputy Director, Mr. Olumide Osanyinpeju, said the federal ministry has great concern on the wellbeing of Nigerians, particularly of children who are vulnerable to communicable diseases.

    He stressed that the government was desirous to ending open defecation in the country by year 2030 as a means of ensuring better healthcare services.

    Read Also: Contrary to fake news on social media, Buhari is revamping Nigeria – Lai Mohammed

    He said, “Open defecation is incredibly dangerous, as contact with human waste can cause diseases such as cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, polio, diarrhoea, worm infestation and under nutrition. We must double our current efforts in order to end open defecation by 2030.”

    Declaring the workshop open, Plateau state Commissioner for Water resources and energy Ja’afaru Wuyep, said there are positive results in the lives of the people; assuring that the state government will continue to invest on its people.

    The commssioner stated Plateau state government with UNICEF “our partnership wirth UNICEF is necessary, we have seen positive results on our people, UNICEF are everywhere in the rural areas assisting our people.

    “When we invest in children, we are correcting the past, and making the future right,” he added.

    He commended UNICEF for coming to their aide and standing in the gap where government could not reach it citizens.

    He said, “UNICEF has been the major partners to Plateau state in our human challenges, as a government, we will continue to partner UNICEF.”

    UNICEF chief for Water and Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) in Nigeria Zaid Jurji, in a paper presentation revealed that 60 million Nigerians do not have no access to portable water.

    He also said 88 percent of the diarrhea cases in the country was caused by open defecation and lack of portable water.

    He urged Nigeria government to invest more in water and sanitation as it goes a long way to impact on the wellbeing of the people.

     

  • Contrary to fake news on social media, Buhari is revamping Nigeria – Lai Mohammed

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has said that naysayers had taken to Social Media and spending huge amounts of money to distort the situation in Nigeria.

    The Minister stated this at a mini town hall meeting which he organised for members of staff of the Nigerian Embassy in Berlin, Germany and a cross-section of Nigerians residing in the European country.

    Mohammed was in Berlin to attend a meeting of African Tourism Ministers, on the sidelines of the International Travel Trade Fair in the German capital.

    A statement issued on the mini town hall meeting in Berlin was made available to newsmen in Abuja by the Mr Segun Adeyemi, the Special Adviser to the minister.

    The minister said the naysayers, who were hoping to override the string of achievements by the present administration in the country, were spending huge amounts of money to spread fake news about Nigeria.

    He said: “Contrary to the fake news being peddled in the Social Media by the naysayers, President Muhammadu Buhari is putting Nigeria back on its feet.

    “That is why Nigerians at home and abroad must ensure they have access to authentic information.
    “One way is to download the FGNiAPP on their hand-held devices. It is free.”

    ”The economy is on a steady growth, as attested to be by the latest report from the National Bureau of Statistics:

    “The economy attracted 12.2 billion dollars in foreign investments in 2017, up from $5.38 billion in 2016.

    “That represents 138 per cent increase.

    ‘’The economy further consolidated its recovery from recession with GDP growing by 1.92 per cent in Q4 2017,compared to 1.40 per cent in Q3 2017 and a contraction of -1.73 per cent in Q4 2016;.

    “This means the economy ended 2017 with a growth of 0.82 per cent compared to a
    contraction of -1.58 per cent in 2016.

    “GDP growth in Q4 2017 was driven by growth in crop production, crude production and natural gas, metal ores, construction, transportation and storage, trade, electricity and gas production,.

    “These are indications that the administration’s diversification effort is working.”

    Mohammed blamed the incessant clashes between farmers and herdsmen on environmental, rather than ethnic or religious issues.

    He noted that contrary to the narrative being pushed in certain quarters that gave ethnic and religious coloration to the clashes, they were caused by purely environmental issues.

    Mohammed said whereas, Nigeria’s population in 1963 was about 48 million, ‘’it is now about 180 million with the country’s land mass remaining the same.’’

    He said the implication was that, there were more people per square kilometre, adding that this development raised the chances of clashes over dwindling resources.

    The minister also said that Lake Chad that which used to provide water and other resources to more than 30 million people in four countries, including Nigeria in the early 1960s had shrunk by about 90 per cent.

    He said the lake which had shrunk from 25,000 square kilometres to 2,500 square kilometres, forced those affected to move south in search of resources.

    ”These and other reasons, like desertification, have altered the resource landscape, heightened competition for dwindling resources and raised the possibility of clashes between farmers and herders.”

    Mohammed, who assured of the Federal Government’s commitment to finding lasting solution to the clashes, noted that the establishment of ranches was one sure way of reducing such clashes.

    He, however, said that in resolving the crisis, both the farmers and the herders must be willing to shift slightly from their positions grounded in their way of life over centuries.

    For his part, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany, Alhaji Yusuf Tuggar, commended the patriotism and dedication of the Nigerians in Diaspora, especially those in Germany.

    ”There is a burgeoning Nigerian community (in Germany), committed to
    the prosperity of Nigeria.

    “They are well in tune with the policies of the Nigerian government and they are accomplished men and women and worthy ambassadors,” he said.

    In their comments, some leaders of the Nigerian Diaspora commended the government for the progress being made in lifting up the country.

    They stressed the need to step up efforts to ensure the security of life and property in order to attract more foreign investors to the country.

    A naysayer is a person who says something will not or is not possible , or one who is skeptical or cynical about something. (NAN)

  • Nigeria ready to host African Tourism Ministers – FG

    Nigeria ready to host African Tourism Ministers – FG

    Nigeria has formally invited African Tourism Ministers to the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Commission for Africa (CAF) meeting scheduled for June 4-6 2018 in Abuja.

    Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed personally extended the invitation to the Ministers at a meeting they held on the sidelines of the ongoing International Travel Trade Fair (ITB) in Berlin, Germany.

    ”I have tried to contact, individually, every Minister. I have sent an email to every Minister reminding them of the meeting and assuring them that we will leave no stone unturned to host a very successful meeting,” he said.

    Read Also: Buhari: Osinbajo, a dependable partner in journey to transform Nigeria

    ”The truth is that no matter the level of preparation that is made, if you are not there, it is not a success. So I really wish to appeal to all of us to please attend the CAF meeting in June,” the Minister said, shortly after handing over the invitation letters to his African colleagues.

    He said the participants at the meeting are guaranteed to experience the best of Nigeria, especially in the area of the Creative Industry, where Nigeria’s competitive advantage is widely acknowledged.

    Meanwhile, Alhaji Mohammed has urged the global tourism body, UNWTO, to involve African Heads of State in its plan to rebrand the continent and make it more attractive to global tourists.

    Contributing to the debate on the UNWTO’s rebranding process for Africa in Berlin, he said Ministers other than those of tourism should also be involved.

    ”The UNWTO could make Presidents and Heads of State from across Africa honorary Champions of Tourism as a way to get them involved.

    There could also be a forum where the UNWTO will invite other ministers, including those of Finance, Budget and Planning, Health, Interior, Foreign Affairs, Infrastructure and Agriculture, to come and hear first hand how tourism impacts their various portfolios.

  • We will deliver local rice below N10,000 per bag – Bagudu

    We will deliver local rice below N10,000 per bag – Bagudu

    Gov. Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi says the state will work together with farmers and millers under the Federal Government’ Anchor Borrower Programme to deliver local rice below N10,000 per bag.

    The governor gave the assurances Sunday night in Birnin Kebbi at a dinner hosted in honour of the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

    The minister is on a two-day working visit to Kebbi with a team of journalists to showcase and assess the government agricultural revolution.

    Bagudu who commended the President Muhammadu Buhari led Government policy on rice called for more investments by the public and private sector.

    The governor said that the mobilisation of 70,000 farmers and N11 billion spent on the pilot scheme had yielded so much dividends and attracted national and global attention to the state.

    He said in addition to the two major rice milling factories – Labana and Walcot – , there were so many small and medium scale millers springing up in the state.

    Bagudu disclosed that Labana and Walcot rice milling factoriies had N55 billion demand for paddy.

    The governor also disclosed that the Dangote group recently visited him and were concluding plans to set up a rice milling factory in the state.

    He said the partnership between Kebbi and Lagos states on rice value chain that produced the Lake rice had solved the challenge of glut by providing ready made market for farmers.

    The governor, who is the Chairman Presidential Task Force Committee on Rice and Wheat Production noted that the level of investment in the state had proved that agriculture is the easiest sector for diversification

    He said the huge investments had also shown the confidence the investing community had in the Buhari’s administration.

    For his part, the minister appreciated the governor for honouring him and members of his entourage.

    He said Kebbi’s goal is to be a trailblazer in using the Anchor Borrowing Programme to transform the agriculture sector.

    Mohammed said the programme aimed at food production, job creation, income generation and self sufficiency had been a tremendous success the state.

    The minister said he led the media to the state to show to the world that the government agriculture policy is working and yielding results contrary to the claims of naysayers.

    Besides agriculture, the state commissioners gave score cards of the giant strides of the governor in roads, health, infrastructure development, culture and information technology.

    NAN

  • FG `ll empower more farmers to boost food production – Lai Mohammed

    FG `ll empower more farmers to boost food production – Lai Mohammed

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says the Federal Government will empower more farmers to boost food production in the country.

    Mohammed made the assertion on Sunday at the Government House, Birnin-Kebbi, when he paid courtesy call Gov. Abubakar Bagudu during his two-day visit to the state.

    The minister said that the agricultural revolution in the state had projected Nigeria as a food producing nation.

    “Due to the agricultural revolution, the number of farmers empowered across the country has increased from five million to over 12 million within two years of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

    “Our detractors will not believe what this government has achieved; that is why we decided to come to different villages where farming is taking place to tell the whole world our story,” he said.

    In his remarks governor Atiku Bagudu told the minister and his entourage that apart from the success recorded in agriculture, most especially in mass rice production, he said their is need for federal government to invest more in other crops like Maize and Soya beans.

    The governor further said the State success story in rice can also be achieved in other farm produce, which he said will go along way in boosting the economy, and food security of the country.

    Bagudu told the minister and his entourage that apart from the success recorded in agriculture, the state was blessed with different cultural festivals like Argungu Fishing Festival, which he said will be revived  very soon, Rigatta festival of Yauri Emirate, Uhola Festival in Zuru, and Hottungo festival In suru.

    All the festival he said are been celebrated annually to promote  tourism and generate more revenue to the state.

  • FG extends search for abducted girls outside Nigeria

    FG extends search for abducted girls outside Nigeria

    The Federal Government said on Friday that the ongoing search for the 110 girls who were abducted from the Government Girls Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State, has been extended to the neighbouring countries.

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who disclosed this, said the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin; the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas; the  Chief of Army Staff; Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Alhaji Lawal Daura have moved to the North East to add more urgency to the search.

    The military chiefs joined the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, who had earlier relocated to the North East, and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd), who had also visited the theatre.

    Government had on Thursday set up a panel to unravel the circumstances surrounding the girls’ abduction.

  • Dapchi girls: FG acted promptly – Mohammed

    Dapchi girls: FG acted promptly – Mohammed

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said on Thursday the Federal Government responded promptly to the abduction of students of Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State, unlike the slow response of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration to the kidnap of Chibok girls in April 2014.

    He said the government had deployed over 200 hours of air search for the Dapchi girls.

    He insisted that the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration had been “able to limit Boko Haram insurgents to their cowardly act of bombing soft spots and kidnapping.

    He, however, appealed to the media for support and understanding as the nation was undergoing trying times.

    Mohammed made the submissions in his remarks at the Foundation Laying Ceremony of the Editors’ Plaza by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in Abuja.

    The minister’s response was provoked by taunts from a former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, who wondered why Mohammed had lost his voice on the abduction of Dapchi girls unlike in 2014 when he took swipes at the Jonathan administration over Chibok girls’ abduction.

    Mohammed said it was wrong for Akpabio to “compare apple with orange” on the Buhari’s administration’s approach to the abduction of Dapchi girls.

    He said: “Now, don’t compare orange with apple. When Chibok girls were kidnapped it took the PDP government 18 full days to admit that the girls were kidnapped. This time we swung into action within 24 hours.  And as I speak today I have been to Yobe State twice, the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Chief of Army Staff and the Chief of Air Staff have been there.

    “As of yesterday (Wednesday) we deployed over 200 hours of air search for the girls. Our appeal to the media today is to solicit for their support. We are now in trying times, it does not matter who is involved, we seek your support. We are not saying don’t criticize us but be very fair and do it in context.

    “It is so easy to forget that less than three years ago, 20 out of 27 local government areas in Borno State were under the control of Boko Haram. It easy to forget that in 2013 and 2014 Boko Haram insurgents were strolling into Abuja. They attacked United Nations office and the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Abuja.

    “But today we have been able to limit them to their cowardly act of bombing soft spots and kidnapping. Achieving this feat is not a small thing.”

    Mohammed said the federal government had performed well in the last three years.

     

  • FG sets up committee to probe Dapchi abduction

    FG sets up committee to probe Dapchi abduction

    The Federal Government has set up a 12-member committee to unravel the circumstances surrounding the abduction of 110 students of the Government Girls’ Science and Technical College (GGSTC), Dapchi, Yobe State.

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, said the committee was convened by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd).

    He said the committee, which would be chaired by a military officer of the rank of Major-General, comprised one senior Provost each from the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force.

    He said other members of the committee are representatives of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Department of State Services (DSS) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

    The minister said the committee also included two representatives of the Yobe State Government and a representative of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

    He said the terms of reference of the committee included ascertaining the circumstances surrounding the abduction of the girls.

    Mohammed said the committee would confirm the presence, composition, scale and disposition of security deployed in Dapchi and in GGSTC before the incident.

    The minister said the committee would suggest measures that could lead to the location and rescue of the girls and recommend measures to prevent future occurrence.

    He said the committee would be inaugurated on Wednesday and is expected to submit its report by March 15.

    NAN

     

  • DapchiGirls : 110 girls still unaccounted for – Lai Mohammed

    DapchiGirls : 110 girls still unaccounted for – Lai Mohammed

    The Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has said that the Federal Government in collaboration with Yobe State Government will set up a Situation room to coordinate all information and progress report on efforts geared towards the rescue of Dapchi School Girls.

    Alhaji Lai Mohammed who was fielding questions from journalists in Damaturu after a closed door meeting with Governor. Ibrahim Gaidam and other stakeholders on the Dapchi attack, also informed that the Federal Government through the ministry of Interior would ensure the parents of the missing girls get sucour while the search and rescue lasts.

    “Yes, the Federal Government will ensure the parents get succor. The Hon. Minister of Interior made it clear that we will bring succor to the parents but we need to work with the parents, security, state government and everybody. That is why a kind of situation room is being put together now that will comprise of traditional rulers, the parents, local people, representatives of the parents, and all the security agencies,” Alhaji Mohammed said.

    The minister  also disclosed that the Federal government is very serious over the unfortunate incident at  Dapchi, saying, “The fact that the federal government has sent a delegation to Yobe State twice in less than four days underscores the importance the Federal Government  has attached to the unfortunate incident in Dapchi.”

    “We have come here to meet with all the stakeholders, the security outfit, the governor, reps of the parents, Local government Chairman not just to get first hand information of what happen but also to get progress report of what is being done to rescue the girls,” he said.

    Speaking on the actually number of girls that are yet to be accounted for and as to whether there was an abduction, the minister replied; “There is no doubt that the insurgents were in Dapchi and as at today, we cannot account for 110 girls. Because the total register of the students that came to school that day was 906 but as at today(Sunday,25 February, 2018)  about 110 of them cannot be accounted for and that is the situation.

    “But far reaching decision were taken here today: one, is that henceforth, the police and the civil defense corp will ensure that their presence is strong in every school to serve as a deterrent to the insurgents, secondly, the security agencies and outfits are working together and synergizing to ensure that these girls are recovered as fast as possible.

    “ We are working on very important things that would not be very impudent to talk about but we want to assure Nigerians that no stone will be left unturned in our determination to rescue these girls.

    Mohammed explained that his earlier statement in Dapchi on Thursday that ‘Boko Haram is  looking for ‘oxygen to breath’ is not trivializing the abduction but rather to underscore the major success the government has achieved against the insurgents in the last few years.

    “If we you look at what this government has done in containing the Boko Haram insurgency, you will agree with me that this is actually looking for attention. It is actually more like oxygen. Just one life is very important. We are not making it look trivia but we are just saying that we must remain focused. It is a very huge task and we want to assure Nigerians that the days of Boko Haram is almost at an end,” he explained.