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Tag: Minister of Information and Culture

  • Minister seeks MDAs’ cooperation for tourism development

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has called for cooperation among the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the generation of relevant data for the development of tourism in the country.

    The Minister who spoke in Abuja on Monday during an audience with the Technical Consultant of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) on Tourism Statistics, Mr. David McEwen in his office.

    McEwen is in Nigeria to meet with the various government MDAs with a view to developing a framework for the generation of data in the nation’s tourism industry.

    He said “Tourism, as an industry, and the other sectors are interdependent, so it’s not by coincidence today that while Mr. McEwen is here, he is going to interact with at least ten other parastatals or departments and ministries, including the National Bureau of Statistics; the
    Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation; the Nigeria Police Force; the Central Bank of Nigeria; the Nigerian Immigration Service; the National Park Service; the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria; the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria and the National
    Population Commission and other bodies.”

    While stressing the need for cooperation and coordination of the relevant MDAs, the minister said the ministry of Information and Culture, which he presides over does not generate the data required for policy formation and planning for the industry.

    “The coordinating role of the ministry is of great importance and is for us to ensure that we persuade and get the cooperation of all the other different actors in the industry for us to be able to plan and develop,” the Minister said.

    According to him, most of the agencies that generate the data are not under the purview of his ministry, but their input remains paramount in order to develop tourism in Nigeria.

    In his remarks, The Technical Consultant on Tourism Statistics of the UNWTO, Mr. McEwen, said tourism is one sector that depends largely on other sectors to succeed.

    “I don’t think there is any industry that needs coordination and cooperation like tourism. It’s one part of it that the airlines can’t do without accommodation and the accommodation can’t do without the airlines,” he said.

    The UNWTO Consultant said from the experience he gathered from other countries, statistics generated by other agencies and organs play a vital role in attaining the objective of tourism development, hence the need for the government to play a vital role in the development of
    synergy for tourism to thrive in Nigeria.

    McEwen said there will be a Technical Workshop on Tourism Statistics for stakeholders on the way forward, during the UNWTO/CAF Meeting to be hosted by Nigeria in Abuja in June.

    Read Also: Nigeria ready to host African Tourism Ministers – FG

  • Dapchi schoolgirls: David Bako fake soldier, no conspiracy anywhere – Lai Mohammed

    Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has debunked stories in the social media alleging a top level conspiracy that stage-managed the abduction of Dapchi schoolgirls on 19 February and also declaring a certain Sergeant David Bako allegedly spreading the rumours as unknown to the army.

    Mohammed spoke in Lagos today in response alleged news in social media since the abduction and return of scores of Dapchi schoolgirls by Boko Haram insurgents that the abduction as planned.

    “I can tell you categorically that this David Bako is fake. There is no such soldier in the Nigerian Army. There was no conspiracy anywhere. The intention of those behind the disinformation and fake news is to cause disaffection between Christians and Muslims, and between Southerners and Northerners,” Mohammed said.

    “This Administration’s success in seeking an early release of the Dapchi girls has ruffled many feathers. It has upturned a lot of plans by naysayers. They have not been able to sleep since the girls came back. Their campaign to unseat President Buhari is fuelling their desperation. Nigerians should prepare to see more avalanche of disinformation and fake news. But they should not lend any credibility to such reports. They belong to the trash can!”

    The minister restated that the schoolgirls were freed as a result of intense backchannel engagement with Boko Haram.

    “This was done in concert with a friendly country, international organization and trusted facilitators, he said.

    111 schoolgirls, pure water seller and primary school girl captured

    ” A total of 111 girls were abducted from the Government Girls Secondary and Technical College (GGSTC) in Dapchi on 19 Feb. 2018. That means one student was not captured on the list of 110 abducted students that was compiled by the school, on the basis of which the Federal Government gave the number of abducted schoolgirls as 110.

    “Also kidnapped were two other persons, who are not students of the college. They include a primary school boy who came to the school to sell pure water and another primary school girl. That brings the total number of abducted persons on that day to 113.

    “So far, a total of 107 persons, comprising 105 Dapchi schoolgirls and the two non-students, have been released by the insurgents.

    “Six Dapchi schoolgirls are yet unaccounted for. All efforts will be made to secure their release

    “As I have said at many fora, we neither paid ransom nor swapped any Boko Haram member to secure the release of the girls. This is a fact, irrespective of how a section of the press has tried to spin the story.

    “The insurgents brought the girls back to the location of the kidnapping themselves as an apparent gesture of goodwill, following relentless efforts by the Government to find long-lasting solutions to the conflict.

    “Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had directed all security agencies to do everything possible to bring the girls back unharmed. That dictated the method we adopted. Back-channel talks with our international friends as mediators, and the result was the release of the girls

    “Unknown to many, we have been in wider cessation-of-hostility talks with the insurgents for some time now. The talks helped to secure the release of the police officers’ wives and the University of Maiduguri lecturers recently. And the talks did not stop thereafter.

    “Therefore, we were able to leverage on the wider talks when the Dapchi girls were abducted. As I said earlier, the insurgents decided to return the girls to where they picked them from as a goodwill gesture. All they demanded was a ceasefire that will grant them a safe corridor to drop the girls. This is not new. Even in larger war situations, safe corridors are usually created for humanitarian and other purposes. Consequently, a week-long ceasefire was declared, starting from Monday, 19 March. That is why the insurgents were able to drop the girls. This counters the conspiracy theories being propounded in some quarters concerning why it was so easy for the insurgents to drop off the girls without being attacked by the military.

    WHY THE GIRLS WERE FREED EARLY
    “As I have said time and again, there is no government that will not face tragedies. What makes the difference is how such tragedies are managed.

    “President Buhari put this in perspective when he said the response of his Administration is a marked departure from the attitude of the preceding administration in the aftermath of the kidnap of the 276 Chibok girls in 2014

    “Whereas it took that administration 18 days to even acknowledge the kidnap of the girls, the current administration was responsive and was not in denial. No stone was left unturned to secure the release of the girls. For the record, the following actions were taken:

    “The President sent FG’s delegation twice to Dapchi and Damaturu, within four days, to engage in fact-finding and to condole with the government and people of Yobe State and the families of the abducted girls. I was on both delegations.

    “The President ordered the Service Chiefs and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to take direct charge and brief him on a daily basis on the efforts to bring back the girls.

    ” The President ordered the re-strengthening of a Joint Operational Base involving relevant agencies and Services to coordinate the rescue mission. Consequently, the Service Commanders established a unified Command Centre in Maiduguri, and the Military also raised several rescue teams to comb the forests in the North East Theatre of Operation.

    ” The Nigerian Air Force maintained aerial surveillance of the area all through.

    It was not a surprise, therefore, that this abduction ended about a month after it occurred, and that most of the girls are free.

    THE REACTION OF NAYSAYERS

    You are not unaware of the reaction of the naysayers – the main opposition PDP in particular – to the release of the Dapchi girls. What called for non-partisan celebrations was rather thoughtlessly turned into politics, bad, despicable politics that has no place in any democracy. At times of national tragedies, countries unite. This is the norm everywhere.

    Let me encapsulate my reaction to the disgraceful and insensitive politics, that the PDP has been playing with the Dapchi girls, by quoting the statement of the President when he received the Dapchi girls last Friday: ”May I also warn against those elements who have chosen to make political fortune of our citizens’ misfortune. Government would not tolerate any attempt by any person or group to trivialise or politicise security issues for politically motivated ends. Accordingly, security agencies would not hesitate to decisively deal with such unscrupulous characters.” Those are very clear words that need no elaboration.

    “The PDP and its co-travelers do not understand that terrorism is a global problem. A terror attack on any country is an attack on all countries. The UN was among the first international organizations to condemn the abduction of the Dapchi girls and also among the first to welcome their release.

    “Perhaps we should ask the PDP what indeed the party knows about the abduction of the Dapchi girls, going by its statement that their abduction and release were stage-managed. The party made itself a laughing stock within and outside Nigeria with that statement. Don’t they know that our international friends are involved in the process that led to the release of the girls? Indeed, there should be a new criterion for withdrawing the registration of a party like the PDP which has failed both as a ruling and an opposition party! If a party cannot rule and cannot be in opposition, what else can it do?

    “We thank all Nigerians for their support and prayers. We are grateful for their belief in the ability of this government to secure an early release of the girls. We will continue with the ongoing efforts to account for the remaining six Dapchi girls, and indeed to bring back our remaining Chibok girls.

    “In the words of Mr. President, this Administration remains committed to the fight against terrorism and insurgency. The security services have since been directed to put in place further measures around all schools vulnerable to attacks to ensure the safety of pupils/students and teachers and school workers. The President has also tasked all the security agencies to work to ensure that we do not witness any recurrence of these incidents.

    “Let me emphasize the government’s position that while the military efforts are necessarily ongoing, we are willing to continue engaging in a meaningful dialogue which is not only about the release of hostages, but intended at a broader engagement on conflict mitigation (reduction of the violence, possibility of ceasefire, protection of civilians, increased humanitarian access). Government is therefore willing to engage on measures which can lead to stopping the bloodshed and finding long-lasting solutions to the conflict.

    “We appeal for non-partisanship on the issue of security. We all have to be safe and alive before we can even belong to any political party. And whether you are in government or in opposition, Nigeria belongs to all of us.

    “We appeal to the media to be more discerning in disseminating materials that serve no other purpose than to sabotage the ongoing efforts to end the insurgency and secure the release of the remaining Chibok and Dapchi girls. Obviously, the naysayers are growing more desperate and will stop at nothing, including disinformation and fake news, to muddle the waters”.

  • 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)

  • Animation: Minister seeks partnership with China

    Animation: Minister seeks partnership with China

    THE Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has called for a meaningful partnership with China to develop Nigeria’s Animation Industry.

    The Minister stated this in Abuja on Thursday when he received, in his office, a delegation of Television Production and Animation Companies from China.

    He described animation as the fastest growing genre of the film industry, saying animation will thrive in Nigeria, especially if it is rooted in the culture and tradition of the people.

    “Animation today has grown into a multi-billion-dollar business and notably in China, France and some other countries and we have in abundance in Nigeria abundant talent and also content.

    “What we need is a meaningful partnership between these companies and Nigeria to develop our animation technology and our animation culture to a level that it will not only be impactful and meaningful, but will also be another vehicle through which we can promote the culture of Nigeria and its diversity,” Alhaji Mohammed said.

    He expressed the optimism that animation will open another vista of opportunity for the talented youths in Nigeria because of the abundance of interesting stories in the country, and stressed the need for technology transfer from China in order to make the desired impact.

    “We have the content, we have the stories, what we need is the technology. So we want to partner with you in a manner that we can encourage our very young and talented artists, film-makers and producers. But the content of the animation, for it to be meaningful to us and to the younger ones, must be rooted in the culture and history of our people,” the Minister said.

    He said with Nigeria’s remarkable progress in the ease of doing business and the various positive economic indices being recorded, the country is now the preferred destination for investors, with a guaranteed on investment.

    Alhaji Mohammed advised the companies to take advantage of the various policies put in place by the government, such as a three-year tax holiday for companies that have been classified to enjoy pioneer status, and invest in Nigeria in view of the country’s huge population, talent and availability of content.

    Earlier, Mr. Chen Huanan, the leader of the delegation and the Director of Culture and Tradition in the Chinese Ministry of Culture, said the delegation is in Nigeria to seek areas of cooperation with their counterparts in the country.

  • Minister inaugurates committee for UNWTO/CAF meeting

    Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has inaugurated the planning committee for the 61st Meeting of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation/CAF taking place in Abuja, Nigeria, from June 4th-6th, 2018.

    The Minister, who performed the ceremony in Abuja on Tuesday, charged members of the committee to ensure the success of the event.

    “Today’s inauguration kick-starts our preparation for the hosting of the (UNWTO/CAF Meeting). The task ahead of us is enormous, but with the quality membership of the Planning Committee, we are up to the task and we will host a successful event,’’ he said.

    “You have been selected based on your knowledge and expertise in content, logistics and planning. Your role is to execute a successful event with professional inputs and assistance from the Ministry and the UNWTO. I have no doubt that you will take your assignments very seriously,” Alhaji Mohammed said.

    The Minister said the hosting right of the event, which was given to Nigeria, has clearly demonstrated the confidence of the CAF member states and the UNWTO in the country.

    He said the highlight of Nigeria’s relevance and acceptance by the Organization, within two years of its return after a period of absence, was further shown in his election as a Vice Chairman of the UNWTO General Assembly at an election held during the 22nd session of the UNWTO General Assembly in Chengdu, China, in September 2017.

    Alhaji Mohammed said the UNWTO meeting will afford the country the unique opportunity to project its image as a safe and desirable destination for leisure and business as well as promote the country’s tourism products and services.

    He said the meeting will also provide a platform for tourism stakeholders to interact with their counterparts from other countries, generate foreign exchange through accommodation in hotels, airfares and souvenirs purchased by foreign delegates, create direct and indirect employment, thereby alleviating poverty, and provide the platform for the training for public and private sector tourism officials.

    Membership of the planning committee cuts across the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Federal Capital Territory, extra-ministerial departments and agencies as well as the private sector.

  • Minister challenges CSOs, media on treasury looters

    Minister challenges CSOs, media on treasury looters

    The Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have been challenged on the need to ensure that Nigerians does not forget the evil deeds of the people who looted the country treasury.

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, threw the challenge at the launch of the Anti-Corruption Situation Room (ACSR), which includes civil society organizations, media groups, government agencies and other stakeholders, in Abuja on Tuesday.

    The minister challenged the civil society to work with the media and other stakeholders to ensure that Nigerians never forget, for one moment, the damage done to the country by treasury looters.

    He said ”Those who turned our treasury to their piggy bank are once again presenting themselves as the saviours of the nation. They say the best time for Nigeria was when the proceeds of their corruption subsidised many and gave the illusion of economic boom. They are so emboldened as to say Nigerians are earnestly yearning for them. No contrition. No apologies. No shame. Just sheer bravado.  Unbridled arrogance.  Revisionism.

    ”The Civil Society, the media and indeed all stakeholders owe it a duty not to allow Nigerians to forget, to say ‘Never Again’ to those who view Nigeria as nothing but a cash cow to be milked to death.”

    Alhaji Mohammed said the formation of the ACSR could not have come at a better time, as the Buhari Administration’s fight against corruption is gaining momentum, ”and the government is winning the war”.

    ”But there is a challenge: There seems to be a feeling of numbness among the citizens about the conduct of those whose actions brought us here, those who looted the national treasury dry. Suddenly, these same people are engaging in revisionist history and blaming everyone but themselves for the mess their actions put the country into,” he said.

    Reeling out the cost of corruption to the nation, the Minister listed the conversion to a slush fund of the 2.1 billion dollars meant to buy weapons for the Nigerian military to fight Boko Haram; the fact that country could only generate 2,690 megawatts as at 29 May 2015 despite spending billions of dollars on power and the failure of past governments to save for the rainy day, even when oil was selling above 100 dollars a barrel for many years.

    He listed some of the gains of the anti-corruption fight as raising the country’s foreign reserves from 23 billion dollars to 38 billion dollars; stoppage of the payment of phantom subsidy of between 800
    billion and 1.3 trillion Naira; and the recovery of at least 43 million dollars and 56 houses from just one official of the immediate past Administration.

    Other gains of the fight against corruption, according to Alhaji Mohammed, include the recovery of 2.9 billion dollars from looters so far; the Whistle-blower policy which has led to the recovery of 151 million dollars and N8 billion in looted funds from just three sources; the elimination of thousands of ghost workers, which has saved the nation 120 billion Naira and the elimination of the 108 billion Naira in maintenance fees payable to banks, pre-TSA.

    He commended those behind the formation of the ACSR, a platform to build synergy among anti-corruption CSOs, the labour movement, the law enforcement agencies, the Parliament and the Judiciary, as well as to ensure that Nigerians take ownership of the fight against corruption.

  • Anti-graft war: Don’t mock us, Minister begs media

    Anti-graft war: Don’t mock us, Minister begs media

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has appealed to the media not to mock the Federal Government anti-corruption war, rather it should fully support the Administration’s fight against corruption.

    The minister stressed that as the fourth estate of the realm, the media cannot afford to sit on the fence as far as the battle to rid the nation of corruption is concerned.

    He spoke Monday in Abuja while declaring open the 68th General Assembly of the Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria (BON).

    The Minister said while the media should not hesitate to criticise the government’s strategy for the war against corruption, when necessary, it should do so without mocking the government.

    ”In recent times, it is not unusual to read such headlines as ‘Buhari’s Government Losing Anti-Corruption War’, ‘Buhari’s Anti-Corruption War is Failing’, ‘Arewa Youths Knock President Buhari over Failing Anti-corruption War’. This is sheer mockery. And this war is not Buhari’s war. It is our war,” he said.

    On why all hands must be on deck to fight corruption, Alhaji Mohammed said corruption is the reason for the many ills being experienced in the country today, including erratic power supply, poorly-equipped hospitals, lack of motorable roads, poor quality of life, poor economy, lack of jobs and insecurity

    ”After previous administrations spent billions of dollars on power, all we inherited – when we took over on the 29th of May 2015 – was 2,690 megawatts. That is due to corruption. After previous governments budgeted billions for roads over the years, what we inherited are death traps. That is due to corruption. Why did Boko Haram thrive for so long? The answer is corruption, because money meant for the purchase of weapons for the military were simply diverted. Why did we inherit an economy in dire straits? It is corruption. For a country that sold oil at over 100 dollars per barrel for years, we simply failed to save for the rainy day, and when the rain came, it beat us silly,” he said.

    The Minister said the war against corruption is the toughest of the three broad issues that the Buhari Administration campaigned with, ”because fighting corruption anywhere is like walking a lonely road”.

    ”While many will join hands with you to tackle insecurity or to revamp the economy, you are on your own when you take on corruption. Most Nigerians were direct beneficiaries of corruption. Many were subsidized by corruption. Now that the gravy train of corruption is fast derailing, many are finding it difficult to come to terms with it. That’s the origin of the ‘Bring Back Corruption’ Campaign being carried out by certain elements in our society,” he said.

    Alhaji Mohammed said the war against corruption becomes tougher when the media is not fully on board, adding: ”When the media seizes on every setback we suffer in prosecuting this war, they give succor to the corrupt. When the media falls for the distraction tactics of those who are mortally afraid of this war, they weaken the battle.”

    He said the because of the courageous, determined and committed leadership provided by President Muhammadu Buhari, and despite the fact that corruption is fighting back furiously, the Administration is winning the war.

    ”For our efforts so far, we have so much to showcase: Because we are tackling corruption, we have succeeded in raising power generation from 2,690 to an all-time high of 7,001MW. Because we are tackling corruption, we are saving 25 billion Naira monthly by cutting unnecessary allowances of officials. Because we are tackling corruption, we have added 500 million dollars to our Sovereign Wealth Fund that stagnated at the 1-billion-dollar that was used to set it up. We have raised our foreign reserves from 23 billion dollars to 35 billion dollars. We stopped the payment of phantom subsidy of between 800 billion and 1.3 trillion Naira annually, yet petroleum products are available at competitive prices.

    ”We recovered at least 43 million dollars and 56 houses from just one former government official. We have recovered 2.9 billion dollars from looters so far. Our Whistle-blower policy has led to the recovery of 151 million dollars and N8 billion in looted funds from just three sources,” the Minister said.

  • Why cost of food items is high – FG

    Why cost of food items is high – FG

    The Federal Government says despite the revolution witnessed in the agricultural sector, the cost of food items is still high because of infrastructural deficit and export demands.

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said this on Tuesday when he featured in a Current Affairs programme “Focus Nigeria” of a Lagos-based Television station.

    “Despite the fact that the production of staples like rice, grains, yam has increased with the agricultural revolution of the government, food items are still on the high side.

    “There are many reasons why the prices are still up there but principally, I think it is an infrastructural deficit.

    “By this, I mean what it takes to bring the produce from the farms to the farm gates and from the farm gates to the city centres and this may not improve until various road and rail projects are completed.

    “The good news, however, is that from October this year, the General Electric, which has the concession for the 3,500 narrow gauge rail routes will commence work.

    “The Lagos to Kano standard gauge rail project and the Lagos to Calabar rail lines which will crisscross all the South Eastern States are priority projects of the government.

    “That will help in the transportation of goods and services including agricultural produce at a far cheaper fare and that will percolate to the common man,” he said.

    The minister said that the government would leave no stone unturned to ensure that the Lagos to Ibadan, Kano to Maiduguri and other critical roads across the country were completed.

    Mohammed also explained that “there is so much demand for our grains and cereals from other parts of Africa.

    “You cannot stop the farmers especially with the ECOWAS Protocols that allows for free movement of goods and services.

    “There is also a lot of demand for our grains from other parts of the world and as a matter of fact, we got over N30 billion from agricultural export in the second quarter of this year.

    “I believe that with the economy picking up and the various infrastructural development coming up, Nigeria will very soon start to feel some relief.

    “Also the Presidential initiative to employ 10,000 people from each state in the agricultural sector will bring succour and a lot of relief,” he said.

    Speaking of his hopes and fears for the country, the minister said that, 57 years after independence, he was very confident and optimistic that Nigeria will be great.

    “Living together for 57 years as an independent country with all the ups and downs and challenges and we are going stronger in all ramification.

    “The present administration is getting its priorities right and focused on the economy, good governance, security and improving the quality of life of Nigerians,” he said.

    The minister reiterated the position of President Muhammadu Buhari that with Nigeria exiting recession, the administration would not rest on its oars until the impact is felt by all Nigerians.

    He said it was on record that since January, the country had recorded monthly steady reduction in headline inflation.

    “Capital inflow has improved from 902 million dollars in the first quarter to 1.792 billion dollars in the second quarter.

    “We have been able to add additional 8 billion dollars to our foreign reserve which was 23.7 billion dollars last year, but now 33.5 billion dollars this year.

    “Our Balance of Trade has increased, farmers today get fertiliser at N5,500 as opposed to N13,000 before and we were able to deliver the fertilisers to farmers before the planting season.

    “These are incremental gains and if we remain focused on our reforms, all these will improve,” he said.

    For those criticising the president on his Independence Address to the nation, the minister said that Buhari addressed issues that were Germaine to national development.

    He said Buhari’s speech touched on national security, economy, corruption, unity and development as well as the achievements recorded by the administration despite constraints.

    The minister said that, though the government had made its position clear on the agitation for restructuring, “the greatest threat we have today is not restructuring but it is about corruption”.

    “I make bold to say that corruption is the bane of the country and the biggest threat to our existence.

    “Year in year out, huge sums of money are voted for and released for projects that will touch the lives of Nigerians but they are stolen and these projects are left abandoned.

    “It is interesting that those people who are vociferous about restructuring are the same people that were in power for 16 years and they did not do anything about restructuring,” he said.

    The minister commended the ruling APC for creating the platform to get the aggregate of the views of Nigerians as to what they meant by restructuring.

  • NIGERIA ELECTED VP OF UN WORLD TOURISM ORAGNIZATION GENERAL ASSEMBLY

    NIGERIA ELECTED VP OF UN WORLD TOURISM ORAGNIZATION GENERAL ASSEMBLY

    NIGERIA, represented by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has been elected Vice President of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) General Assembly.

    Nigeria was elected by acclamation to represent Africa, alongside Cape Verde, at the 22nd General Assembly of the UNWTO, which opened in Chengdu, China, on Wednesday. China was elected President of the Assembly.

    Nigeria’s election followed the country’s unopposed nomination by the UNWTO Commission on Africa (CAF), which met a day earlier.

    Reacting to Nigeria’s election, the Minister said: ”To be called upon to serve as a Vice President of the General Assembly of the UNWTO is a very big honour to Nigeria.

    ”It has proven one thing, that in the last two years, we have succeeded in pushing tourism and the Creative Industry as a whole from the back burner to the front burner, from a side issue to the main issue. This has also been noticed by the global community and I feel highly gratified by it.”

    Nigeria, which will serve on the UNWTO General Assembly until 2019, will host the 61st edition of the UNWTO CAF Meeting in Abuja on June 4 and June 6, 2018.

  • Embrace local culture, minister urges students

    The Minister of Information and culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has urged students and parents to embrace their local languages and cultures.

    Mohammed,who was represented at the Cultural Day celebration of Abia State Polytechnic, Aba by Mr. Uche Idika Kalu, the Curator of National Museum of Colonial History, Aba, lamented that Nigerians were abandoning their cultural heritage.

    He said events like the Cultural Day celebration reminded people of the need to preserve their cultures and traditions.

    The Minister praised the Igbo for their industry and hospitality. However, he condemned the quest for materialism, especially among the youth.

    He called for patience and hard work, warning that anyone who tries to acquire wealth through  crooked means would end up in regret.

    The Rector of the polytechnic, Prof. Friday Eboh, described the event as important one.

    He said the school decided to mark the yearly cultural festival to help promote the cultural heritage of various ethnic groups in Nigeria.

    He urged parents to join the school and other stakeholders in the campaign to ensure that customs and traditions of various ethnic groups in the country continue to exist.

    Highlights of the event were various displays from various ethnic groups on the campus.