The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Minister of Information and Culture

  • Buhari’s victory triumph of ordinary Nigerians over elite, says Lai Mohammed

    •Obasa greets President, APC

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory in last Saturday’s presidential election symbolised the triumph of the ordinary Nigerians over the elite, Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed has said.

    Mohammed spoke in Abuja yesterday when he received the management of his ministry, who came to congratulate him on the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at last week’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    “Last weekend’s election is a direct contest between ordinary Nigerians and the elite, most of whom are rent seekers. Of course, the ordinary Nigerians have won!” he said.

    Mohammed went on: “Overall, this government is doing more with less and is restoring decency and integrity to governance. Like the New York Times said, the re-election of President Buhari is a referendum on honesty. There is no better way to put it.”

    While reeling out the policies that endeared President Buhari to the ordinary Nigerians, the minister said under the Social Investment Programme, the government feeds 9.3 million school children every day and some 500,000 unemployed graduates have been employed under N-Power, in addition to some 300,000 families who are benefitting from the Conditional Cash Transfer.

    In a deliberate effort to boost the Small and Medium Enterprises to contribute significantly to the nation’s economy, the Buhari Administration, he said, gives out interest-free loans of between N10,000 and N100,000 under the TraderMoni and the MarketMoni schemes to small business owners.

    “Pensioners who have been left in the lurch are being paid, and I am talking of ex-workers of the Nigerian Airways, NITEL and former Biafran policemen, among others. The former Nigeria Airways staffers were so delighted that they held a rally in support of the President

    before the elections,” Alhaji Mohammed said.

    He said the fight against corruption is being institutionalised with a number of policies that include Treasury Single Account (TSA), Whistleblower policy, and that it has led to the recovery of huge amounts of money as well as property from looters.

    The minister enjoined the citizenry to continue to support the Buhari Administration in building of a strong, secure, economically-buoyant and corrupt-free society.

    Read also: Saudi King, Emir of Qatar, Russian envoy greet Buhari

    On the APC’s victory in Kwara, the minister thanked the management of his ministry for appreciating his ‘modest’ effort in delivering Kwara State from the grip of a crippling hegemony.

    “I must stress – and I have said this before – that the credit for the liberation of Kwara goes to the good people of State who, despite efforts to compromise them, refused to sell their votes. A simple slogan, O To Ge (Enough is Enough), captured the determination of the people to vote out those who have held them down for decades. And that is precisely what they did,” he said.

    The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Deaconess Grace Isu-Gekpe, said the management and staff of the ministry were proud of the minister for his invaluable contribution to the victory of the APC at the presidential and National Assembly elections in Kwara State.

    Also yesterday, Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa congratulated Buhari and the APC.

    Obasa, in his congratulatory message by his Chief Press Secretary, Musbau Rasak, stated that the victory recorded by the President and the party showed the clear desire of Nigerians to be taken to the Next Level.

    “It was a keenly contested election and we thank God for this well-deserved victory. This is a clear indication of the desire of Nigerians to be taken to the Next Level by APC administration at all levels of governance.

    “Nigerians have again trusted us with their mandate and I assure that we won’t disappoint. Commendations from local and international observers have confirmed the commendable performance of the electoral process and I will give INEC a pass mark for its performance,” he said.

    Obasa urged Nigerians not to rest on their oars appealing to them to vote massively for the party’s candidates in the Governorship and State Assembly Elections.

    “We are grateful for your support and we assure you that the APC administration at all levels will not let you down as we will continue to put in place programmes and projects that will improve your standard of living and enhance your welfare.

    “However, we will continue to ask for more support from you. Therefore,  I humbly appeal to you to come out enmasse on Saturday, 9 March, 2019 to vote for our candidates in the Governorship and State Assembly Elections all over the country. I want to particularly appeal to Lagosians to vote for all our candidates in the coming election.

    “Once again, on behalf of my colleagues in the Lagos State House of Assembly, I congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari and the leadership of our great party on this resounding and well deserved victory and I say let us do it again on Saturday, 9 March, 2019,” the Speaker said.

     

  • Buhari’s achievements real, impactful – Minister

    The Minister of Information and Culture , Alhaji Lai Mohammed says the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari are real and his administration has impacted positively on millions of Nigerians.

    The minister stated this on Sunday in Abuja at an event tagged “Testimonies of Change,” designed to showcase the achievements of the Buhari Administration.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the event witnessed personal testimonies of people who had benefitted from various programmes of government.

    The minister noted that in just three and half years, and with very limited resources, the government had achieved a lot compared to other Administrations that had presided over the affairs of the country since 1999.

    “No one can better tell Nigerians about the impact of the Home-grown School Feeding System than the 9.2 million school children who are fed one meal a day, five times a week, or the over 90,000 cooks who have been employed under the programme.

    “No one can better tell Nigerians about the impact of the N-POWER than the 500,000 graduates who have been employed under the scheme.

    “If you want to know about the success of Tradermoni, ask any of the 2 million beneficiaries.

    “If it’s Marketmoni, ask any of the over 350,000 beneficiaries.

    “Who can better communicate the efficiency of the Abuja to Kaduna rail transportation than the thousands of people who are daily ferried between the two cities.

    ” If the government says it has paid pensioners from the defunct NITEL and Nigeria Airways, among others, is it not better to hear directly from those who have received their pensions after waiting for many years?,” he stressed.

    Mohammed said his ministry had used many platforms to communicate government’s numerous achievements to Nigerians, including Town-Hall Meetings, media tour of projects and regular press conferences.

    He explained that the “Testimonies of Changes” platform, which was a personal
    testimonies of government, was a better evidence of what this Administration had achieved.

    “Starting late last year, the testimonies have been running on radio and television stations across the country, as well as in the social media.

    “Just as we envisaged, this testimony series, has been a huge success.

    “In fact, it so rattled the opposition that they were forced to issue a statement in which they acknowledged that the media space is awash with the testimony series.

    Read also: JUSUN faults planned trial of CJN before CCT

    “Now, we won’t be surprised if the naysayers, who have never seen anything good in this Administration, say that those who participated in the testimony series are card-carrying members of the ruling All  Progressives Congress (APC),” he said.

    Among those who benefitted from the various programmes of government, and who narrated their experiences were former workers of the defunct NITEL, MTEL and Nigeria Airways,  who were paid their pensions after decades of waiting.

    Beneficiaries of NPOWER, Trader Money, School Feeding Programme , Anchor Borrower Programme, as well as traditional rulers from communities where government constructed roads, also spoke at the occasion.

    NAN reports that the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udo Udoma, represented the President while the Head of Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita attended the event. (NAN)

  • Minister to Saraki: stop dancing on the graves of Offa robbery victims

    Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed has warned Senate President Bukola Saraki to stop dancing on the graves of the innocent souls who died in the April 5, 2018 armed robbery attack in Offa.

    Mohammed, in a statement in Lagos on Monday by his media aide, Segun Adeyemi, urged Saraki to stop politicising the unfortunate incident.

    He reacted following a claim by Saraki in a radio interview he donated N10 million when he visited Offa on commiseration despite the fact that only N7million was stolen from the banks’ vault.

    The Minister condemned attempts to denominate human lives in naira and kobo.

    He alleged in the wake of his warning, the apparently embarrassing radio interview was hurriedly edited to remove all references to the Offa robbery and then re-aired across Kwara state.

    ”Instead of stopping at that, which in itself constitutes an acceptance of wrong-doing, Dr. Saraki went ahead to hurl insults at me, even when I have been largely restrained in issuing my earlier warning.

    “Had I not been restrained, I would have gone ahead to divulge what actually transpired.

    ”For example, the claim by Dr. Saraki that he donated N10million to care for the victims of the Offa robbery is patently false.

    “He did not! The N10 million he referred to was donated when the Offa market got burnt, and it was made in Ilorin, not Offa.

    “When Dr Saraki visited Offa to commiserate with the community in the aftermath of the robbery, he did not donate a dime! I challenge him to prove me wrong.”

    The Minister added: ”But with politics in the air, the truth becomes the first casualty. Realising that he goofed, Dr. Bukola apparently caused the radio interview in question to be edited to remove the donation reference, and then re-aired.

    “Is it not an irony the people who engaged in this egregious act of dishonesty are the same ones calling others names?”

    He said he will continue to steer debates on the political developments in Kwara state to issues rather than exchange of personal insults, which he has always been averse to.

    ”The people of Kwara, who are bone-tired of the long years of ‘bolekaja’ governance in the state, are all saying in one voice, ‘O to ge’ (enough is enough), and will soon have the opportunity to express their frustration with their votes,” the Minister said.

     

     

     

  • Minimum wage: Buhari promised to study report, says Minister

    The Federal Government on Wednesday clarified the position of the President on the new national minimum wage for Nigerian workers saying the President will study the recommendation submitted to him by the committee before making government position officially known.

    Briefing state House Correspondents after the weekly Federal Executive Council meeting, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said what was presented to the President was a recommendation which he promised to study and get back to the committee.

    Organised Labour had suspended its planned nationwide industrial action after the conclusion of the work of the tripartite Committee which recommended N30, 000 as the new national minimum wage.

    While submitting its report to the President, Chairman of the Committee, Ms. Ama Pepple told the President that after extensive deliberations, the committee was recommending N30, 000 which organised labour said was a compromised figure.

    While receiving the report, President Buhari promised to send an Executive Bill to the National Assembly on the recommendation as soon as possible for consideration and approval, but he was silent on whether he endorsed the N30, 000 new wage.

    Asked to clarify the position of government in the issue, the Minister of Information said the president will study the recommendation and get back to the Tripartite Committee.
    According to him, “I think it was a recommendation. Mr. President will consider it and will make his views known in due course.”

    Pressed further, he added: “I said a recommendation was submitted. Mr. President will get back to the committee after he has studied the recommendation.”

    On whether the revenue sharing formula might be reviewed if the new minimum wage is approved to enable the states to pay, the Minister stated: “Once again, like I said, a recommendation has been made and in responding to the recommendation, all these views will be taken into consideration.”

  • Defamation: Court adjourns Dokpesi’s suit against Lai Mohammed, AGF 

    FCT High Court, Apo, on Monday adjourned until Oct.23, the alleged N5billion defamation suit, instituted by Chief Raymond Dokpesi against the Minister of Information and Culture and Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

    Dokpesi, a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and chairman emeritus of DAAR Communications Plc, filed the suit on April 30, seeking N5 billion damages from the defendants for alleged defamation.

    Read Also:‘N2.1b fraud’: Dokpesi received funds without executing contract, says witness

    He alleged that Information Minister, Lai Mohammed and the Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami (SAN), defamed his character by the inclusion of his name on the treasury looters’ list.

    The plaintiff had told the court that the Information Minister had on March 30, during a press conference, portrayed him as “a corrupt and crooked person, a dishonest man and a thief.”

    Dokpesi through his counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), told the court that the minister’s action negatively affected his reputation and that his image had been seriously injured.

    The plaintiff said he had suffered considerable distress, odium, obloquy, ridicule in political analysis in the media.

    Dokpesi besides the N5 billion damages,  is also asking the court to order the defendants to publish a full retraction of the said publication.

    He further asked the court to order the defendants to tender an unreserved apology to him in all the major electronic and print media outlets in the country.

    He further urged the court to grant a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their servants, agents, partners, representatives, from further writing, publishing defamatory words about the plaintiff.

    At the resumed hearing on Monday, the plaintiff’s counsel, Ennaemeka Adasu, holding brief for Ozekhome, informed the court that the matter was slated for hearing and all the five plaintiff’s witnesses were in court.

    He, however, told the court that the defendants’ counsel only this morning in court, served the plaintiff with a notice of preliminary objection on the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit.

    Adasu , who argued that the service on his client in court this morning was done in bad faith and in the circumstance, requested for an adjournment to enable him respond to the objection.

    Justice  Adegboyega Adeniyi, upheld the plaintiff counsel’s submission and adjourned  the case until Oct. 23 for hearing of the preliminary objection.

     

  • FG has 69 ongoing infrastructural projects in South-East, says Minister

    The Federal Government Thursday replied south east governors, saying there are 69 ongoing projects in the region alone.

    The governors had claimed that the region has been shortchanged in the implementation of infrastructural projects by the current administration.

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who issued the rebuttal Thursday in Ilorin, at a lecture by Mr. Festus Keyamo, spokesman for the President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organization promised to publish the full list of projects and the state.

    Read Also:FG slams PDP over infrastructural development in South East, South South

    ”While this claim may have made headlines, it is totally untrue. His Excellencies were either misquoted or they were quoted of context.

    Either way, this allegation flies in the face of available evidence,” he said, promising to publish the full list of the projects and the state-by-state breakdown.

    Alhaji Mohammed said no part of the country, including the South-east, has been left out of the massive infrastructural projects of this Administration, adding that from the proceeds of the 100 billion Naira Sukuk Bond alone, the South-east got 16.6 billion Naira worth of projects, just like any other zone.

    He listed the four projects covered by the Sukuk Bond proceeds in the South-east as Enugu-Port Harcourt Dual Carriageway Section II (Umuahia Tower-Aba Township Rail/Road Bridge Crossing in Abia State; Enugu-Port Harcourt Dual Carriageway Section I (Lokpanta-Umahia Tower) in Abia State; Outstanding section of the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway (Amansea –
    Enugu State Border) and the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway Section III (Enugu-Lokpanta) in Enugu State

    The Minister said he had gone on a media inspection of the roads, as well as the Aba-Port Harcourt section of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway and the 2nd Niger Bridge, where the contractor has completed the first three phases of the project.

    ”In conclusion, the South-east has never had it so good in the area of infrastructure. Had the previous Administrations done even half of what we are doing now in that region, no one will be complaining today. It is alright to ask for more, but it is unfair to say nothing
    has been done,” he said.

  • NASS defection: Minister urges Kwara APC to remain calm

    Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has commended member of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Kwara state for their unflinching commitment to the party.

    In apparent reaction to the gale of recent defection at the National Assembly, the minister in a statement released in Abuja Thursday urged members of the ruling party to remain calm, saying there was no cause for alarm over the recent defection in the party.

    Read Also:‘Lawmakers’ defection not a threat to Buhari’s popularity’

    He stressed that the party leadership at the state is currently consulting with the national leadership of the party, with a view to coming up with a programme of action that will take into consideration the recent developments.

    He also assured the teeming party loyalists that the best action will be taking for the overall interest of the party.

    The statement reads: “Against the backdrop of the recent events at the National Assembly, I want to most sincerely thank all APC members and supporters in Kwara State for their unflinching commitment to ensuring that the party emerges stronger than ever in the state

    “That commitment has been reflected in the overwhelming support and solidarity that we have received, not just from our party members but also from other parties and stakeholders across the state, since the melodrama at the National Assembly on Tuesday.

    “In particular, there has been an expression of overwhelming love and support for President Muhammadu Buhari from across Kwara, in the wake of the defections by federal legislators from Kwara.

    “I call on all our members and supporters in Kwara to remain calm, because there is no cause for alarm.

    “We are currently consulting with the national leadership of our great party, with a view to coming up with a programme of action that will take into consideration the recent developments.

    “Our members and supporters should have no doubt whatsoever that whatever decisions we take after the consultations will be in their overall best interest.”

     

  • FG pledges support for people living with disabilities

    The Federal Government has pledged its commitment to support people living with disabilities in the country.

    Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made the promise at the opening of 2018 Art for Development (Art4Dev) exhibition, organized by the ActionAid Nigeria and the ministry, Thursday in Abuja.

    Mohammed said rather than a biennial event, the ministry will support the project to make it annual, thus creating market opportunities for people with disabilities involved in the work of arts.

    The Minister said such supports through arts, craft and the entire creative industry is capable of reducing poverty, boosting quality of life style and promoting self-reliance among the special group and the youth in general.

    Read Also:‘Stop discriminating against persons with disabilities’

    He emphasized on the significant of art to addressing unemployment, boosting rural economy and contributing to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    Mohammed, represented by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Deaconess Grace Gekpe, declared the exhibition open.

    “The expo is a platform to showcase, promote and develop the creative talents and skills of our local artists, especially the artists from vulnerable and excluded communities. There is no doubt that most of our youth have missed the opportunity of developing their creative talents due to lack of support and access to market.

    “Economic empowerment through arts and crafts is the only means available for these marginalized people to obtain basic human needs ….” he added.

    Earlier, ActionAid Country Director, Ene Obi described poor access to market as great challenge to promoting works of arts and the creative industry.

    She said proper support is capable of creating jobs, reducing poverty and promoting self-development.

    Obi noted that efforts are ongoing to reach-out to State governors in the 36 states stressing that some youth venture into agriculture due to poor sales of artworks despite their level of creativity.

    “Even though, some of them have access to raw materials required for production of art and crafts like tree for woodworks and raffia for weaving; they do not have access to platforms and opportunities their professional counterparts have to make their works profitable and a source of livelihood.

    “It is our belief that if these talents are properly and diligently utilized, it can become a source of sustainable livelihood, thereby lifting them out of poverty and contributing to the micro and macro economy of the nation,” she stated.

  • FG determined to complete second Niger bridge soon-Lai Mohammed

    The Minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed has again reaffirmed the Federal Government determination to complete the second Niger Bridge.

    The minister also assured that funding will not be a problem for the project; stressing that government is not sleeping neither is it playing politics with the project.

    The Minister gave the assurance yesterday during an inspection tour of the second project.

    Addressing Journalists on the tour, the minister also expressed the determination of the current administration to complete all ongoing Federal Government projects across the country.

    Read Also:Fashola reassures on completion of Second Niger Bridge

    He also challenged those doubting government sincerity to go to the site and see the enormous work that is ongoing.

    Speaking at the Asaba end of the project, Mohammed stressed that the federal government wasn’t sleeping or politicising the project as the impact of the ongoing construction work will not be understood until finally completed.

    “Very soon the second Niger Bridge would be completed, and it would change the socioeconomic situation of the country. We are working in a creek, what people want to see is that bridge, and before you see it you must have done a lot of work.

    “The contract of the second Niger Bridge was awarded in 2014 by the last administration and nothing was done until 2016, and the Buhari administration funded the project. So far a lot has been done and in the next two years, passengers would not have to queue on the first Niger Bridge again.

    “The thing about this project is that, because of the alignment, people from the old bridge will say nothing is going on, you have come here and you can see a lot of work is going on and I am excited because with technology the challenges here are overcome. You could hear that in June/July the water level usually rises by 2-3meters and it’s not like the way we use to have casualties like before.

    “it is very important for naysayers to try and mislead people that nothing is being done on the second Niger bridge, but for what we have all seen today, clearly work is going on on the second Niger bridge.

    “I am happy that these are not project you could move over in two or three days. The complexity of this project is such that it is only the best that can handle it, and we have very competent hands working on it and the entire contract is over 11km. We can see the enthusiasm displayed among the workers,” said Mohammed.

    Earlier speaking, the Federal Commissioner of Works, Anambra State, Innocent Anumona while giving a progress report of the project to the minister said ”the second Niger bridge is 1.59km. The contractors have done a lot, they have completed the whole pile which is the foundation, and we have done 310piles amongst other things, what is remaining is the launch the bridge, which is the last stage.

    “These contract has been awarded and it is being carried out in phases, 1-4th phases. Phase 1-3 has been completed, and we are on the 4th phase.

    “By July, we should be ending the 4th phase of the second Niger bridge, the entire Foundation/pile of the bridge is 615 pieces.

  • Lagos -Ibadan expressway to be ready before end of 2018 – Minister

    The Lagos-Ibadan expressway will be substantially ready for commuters before the end of the year, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has said.

    The Minister made the disclosure Wednesday while inspecting the N232 billion road project been handled by Julius Berger PLC and Reynolds Construction Company (RCC), as part of the nationwide tour of the Federal Government infrastructural projects.

    The minister kicked start the inspection of government projects on Tuesday alongside the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, with an inspection of the ongoing construction of the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail line.

    The 137 kilometer Lagos-Ibadan expressway is divided into two sections, with Julius Berger Plc handling the section one of the project worth N134 billion, which covers the Lagos-Shagamu interchange while RCC covers from the Shagamu Interchange to Ibadan worth N96 billion.

    The project which commenced in 2013, with initial completion date of 2017 now has 2018 completion date as a result of the initial hiccups and also the increase in scope of work.

    In both axis of the project, over 50 per cent completion have been achieved, something the minister said was worth commending as it has helped to ease traffic on the very busy road.

    Already, 17 kilometer of the Lagos-Shagamu road with three lanes on each side have been completed. While drainage work is ongoing.

    Speaking after the inspection of the road project, the minister noted that government will continue to mount pressure on the contractors to ensure that they deliver in good time because of the economic and security importance of the road to the country.

    He further assured the contractors that the government will on its part do everything possible to ensure smooth and timely completion of the project, while at the same time charging them on the need to maintain standard and do a thorough job.

    He said: “Both section one and two will be substantially completed before the end of the year.

    “Give and take about 53% of the projects have been completed.

    “We understand the importance of the axis to the economy and security of Nigeria.

    We are working to ensure rapid progress is made.

    “This particular section is significant and different in many instance,  in terms of traffic and capacity and scope. There are many of the churches around here and the issue of compensation, bridges and interchange, pedestrian bridges.

    “No doubt with the efforts of the contractors, travel time from Lagos to Ibadan has been cut down tremendously. People use to sleep on the road before but now you can go to Ibadan under two hours. Accident rate has also reduced tremendously and with the new amendment to the contract, more facilities such as toll plaza better drainage, flyovers.

    “Travel time has been reduced tremendously. People now travel with more comfort and even more security assurance. Armed robbery are easier when traffic are not moving, but when you see flowing traffic as we have seen today, it also improve security.

    And with the additional work, not only are we going to have the road better, it is going to go from two to three lanes on both sides, that means it can carry more traffic. Then the auxiliary facilities that have been included like toll plaza, street lights and overhead bridges will make traveling a much more pleasant journey, which is exactly the objective but most importantly, it is the economy.”

    The minister further explained that 70% of the burden of the traffic on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway is on the Lagos-Shagamu axis of the road, which explained why it has three lanes on each side as against the Shagamu-Ibadan two lanes on each side.

    He was also able to extract commitment from the contractors on timely completion of the project before the end of the year, while at the same time assuring them that the federal government will do the needful to ensure they deliver at the right time.

    Read Also: FEC approves additional N80b for Lagos-Ibadan road