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Tag: Mohammed

  • Mohammed: I’m quitting politics

    Mohammed: I’m quitting politics

    Former Militiary Head of State Gen. Muritala Mohammed’s first son, Abba Risqua, has quit politics to enable him concentrate on his business.

    Riqua, who was a running-mate to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the 2015 election in Kano State, Alhaji Sagir Salihu Takai, said his decision to step aside from politics, will not end his service to the state and Nigeria.

    Addressing his supporters at the Kano Foundation House, Riqua said his intention was not informed by any pressure or frustration from any quarters, but purely on his personal decision to build on his business empire.

    He said: “I am taking a break  from politics so that I can concentrate on developing my business. The last time I came to contest in Kano, most of the resources I used came from my private pocket; and when I went back to my business, my business was not doing very well; and I thought it is the time for me to concentrate on my business and take a break from politics.  Then later on, once things have improved, I can now see how best to proceed further.”

    Explaining that he was not forced to move out from politics, he added: “You know I am not somebody who is sponsored by anybody, I am self-made man, so I don’t refer on anybody for my decision. This is something I have decided out of my conviction to serve my state, and to serve my nation.

    “If I go into public office without having a business that will sustain me and my family, I go into public office to enrich myself. That is not the kind of background I come from, I come from a background to serve our country, to serve my country, to serve my nation, to serve my state.”

    He said that he would sustain the Murtala Mohammed Foundation, adding that, “the fact that I am taking a break from politics does not mean that I am not going to contribute towards the development of my state and the people of my state.”

    Riqua stressed: “I have told my people and my supporters that I am going to strengthen the activities of the Murtala Mohammed Foundation in Kano. I will encourage social intervention for my supporters and the indigenes of Kano state.

    “For now, I am taking a break from politics to concentrate on my business. I am not frustrated and I never give up from any battle. I am ready to face any battle. I am dropping politics because I want to concentrate on developing my business.

    Self-sustenance is very important for anybody so that you don’t have to depend on anybody or any office to have a good living.”

  • Buhari’s achievements laudable despite inheriting empty purse – Lai Mohammed

    Buhari’s achievements laudable despite inheriting empty purse – Lai Mohammed

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration recorded laudable achievements, in spite of terrible economic downturn and an empty purse foisted on it.

    The minister said this at the inauguration of a book chronicling the administration’s achievements in Abuja.

    The minister said through commitment to discipline, determination and transparency, the administration recorded landmark achievements that were putting our country on the path of sustainable growth.

    “Taking a broad view, this administration is delivering in the broad areas that form the plank of its policies: security, fight against corruption and the economy.

    “They include the massive provision of infrastructure, Ease of Doing Business and agriculture, just to mention a few,’’ he said.

    Mohammed said the administration had successfully tackled the menace of Boko Haram, which had crippled the North-east and even put the residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on tenterhooks.

    He reeled out the administration’s achievements in several sectors, including power where he said generation had increased.

    Specifically, he said power generation increased from 2,690MW in May 2015 to 6,619MW, transmission capacity from 5,000MW to 6,700MW, and distribution capacity from 4,000MW to 4,600MW as at September 2017.

    On Infrastructure, the Minister said the administration had increased many times over, the budget allocated to roads, power and housing.

    He disclosed that the government constructed and rehabilitated a total of 766 kilometres of roads across the country in 2017.

    On the economy, Mohammed said headline inflation had fallen for nine consecutive months this year and that foreign reserves were up to 34 billion dollars, from 24 billion dollars in 2016.

    “Nigeria is out of recession and the economy is on the growth trajectory again, after the economy contracted for five consecutive quarters.

    “In spite the downturn in oil prices, this administration was able to invest an unprecedented sum of over N1.2 trillion in capital projects through the 2016 Budget, the highest ever in the history of this country.

    “Our Sovereign Wealth Fund, which was established in 2011 with one billion dollars, did not receive additional investment for four years when oil prices were as high as 120 dollars per barrel.

    “This administration was able to invest an additional 500 million dollars into the Fund,’’ he said.

    Listing other achievements in the economic sector, he said stability had been restored to the foreign exchange market.

    The minister added the recent 24-place leap by Nigeria in the World Ease of Doing Business Index as well as the rehabilitation of 15 moribund Fertilizer Blending Plants across Nigeria, which had created 50,000 direct jobs and 70,000 indirect

    He said the administration’s war against corruption was moving apace.

    He also reeled out figures to support his claim that the
    administration’s Social Investment Programme ”is a roaring success’’. (NAN)

  • Wike tackles Buhari, Amaechi, Mohammed

    Wike tackles Buhari, Amaechi, Mohammed

    Rivers State Governor  Nyesom Wike yesterday tackled President Muhammadu Buhari, Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi and Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

      He accused the Federal Government of poor governance, nepotism, marginalisation and state-sponsored repression.

    The governor alleged that impunity, political intimidation, economic sabotage, state repression, election rigging and abuse of power were wrongs, not only against Rivers, but wrongs against the country.

    Wike spoke yesterday at Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, while opening the 13th All Nigeria Editors’ Conference (ANEC) and Extraordinary Convention of the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), with the theme: “Nigerian Media: Balancing Professionalism, Advocacy and Business.”

    The conference, which ought to have been hosted by Bauchi State, was chaired by Alhaji Ismaila Isa Funtua and had in attendance a former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba; Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Nation, Mr. Victor Ifijeh; and a former Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mrs. Ibim Semenitari; while the keynote speaker was Mr. Azubuike Ishiekwene.

    Rivers governor said: “We do believe that these recurrent acts of impunity, political intimidation, economic sabotage, state repression, election rigging and abuse of power are wrongs not only against Rivers State, they are wrongs against the country.

    “We are only pretending we think that all is well with our country. The country is in crisis, as poor governance, nepotism, marginalisation and state-sponsored repression continue to do violence to the nation’s unity and cohesion.

    “At a time as this, the country needs forthright leadership and consensus building to steer the ship of state from the wrong direction it is headed, to safer grounds.

    “Nigerians of goodwill must therefore call the minister of Information to stop stoking the embers of disharmony and divisions in the polity with his irresponsible utterances and wild allegations against members of opposition political parties.

    “Today, the clamour for political restructuring, fiscal federalism, state police and guarantee for free and fair elections have never been this determined across the country and will never go away. It is becoming clearer by the day that to ignore these calls is pretentiously dangerous to the unity and the peaceful co-existence of this country.

    “History teaches us that freedom will never prevail unless those who long for it are willing and ready to insist upon its value and have the courage to speak out against what they know is wrong.”

    Chairman of the occasion, in his remarks, noted that the Rivers governor did something that had not been done in the history of NGE, by hosting the conference back-to-back, stating that making the media one’s friend will not mean that the public office holders and others will not be criticised or condemned when they performed below expectations or messed up.

    Funtua stated that many journalists, like civil servants, had not been paid for many months, because the money is not there, while calling for financial independence of the media, in order to earn the respect of society, noting that Osoba did a lot to keep the media together.

    The NPAN president, while also speaking, stated that as long as online and social media were dominated by fake news, the traditional media will continue to thrive.

    President of NUJ declared that journalists should be able to carve a niche for themselves and stop being beggarly, to be respected.

    Chairman of Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, in his goodwill message, assured NGE of continuous support of the National Assembly, especially the Senate.

    Bayelsa Information commissioner insisted that Nigeria’s unity was negotiable and called for restructuring, to move forward, while believing in one Nigeria.

    NAWOJ president urged National Assembly to legislate on media salary and to take the issue seriously, while adding that there is need for peaceful co-existence in Nigeria.

    The keynote speaker declared that NGE members must first get honest and ethical journalism right, before they can balance professionalism, advocacy and business, while maintaining that journalists, especially editors, must free themselves from politicians.

    In her welcome address, Egbemode said: “The Editor in Nigeria gives his heart and soul for years. He works impossible hours and labours under the yoke of deadlines for poor remuneration. Then he wakes up one day and he is out of a job. He has no saving. He is not equipped for anything else outside the newsroom. He is stranded and abandoned by the job he gave everything to. That is why being a veteran journalist is not a title of honour. It is a euphemism for being broke and poor.

    “Ours is a besieged and beleaguered industry. Both the profession and the professionals are not in a good place right now. The recession may be receding in other sectors, but in the media, hardly so. Indeed, our recession predates the nationally recognised one. We have been in a bad place for a long time and right now, we all can feel the ground shift under our shaking legs. We take care of everybody else’s interest. We watch out for everybody and we have always done that for years.

    “This year, it is all about us, our profession, our fate and our economy, as we navigate the testy thirsty waters that threaten to sweep us into a fast-moving current. This ANEC is for us to assess where we are and find a way to safety. “

    The president of NGE also expressed gratitude to Wike and Rivers, for not just hosting the conference back-to-back, but also because the governor accepted to do so with less than six weeks notice.

  • Mohammed, Babatode, Okorie take different positions

    Second Republic lawmaker Dr Junaid Muhammed has said where the President operates from doesn’t matter. According to him, the President can operate from his official residence or his hometown Daura or Mambilla Plateau.

    Junaid, who spoke on telephone, said: “The most important thing is that our President is back from medical vacation and he’s healthy enough to resume work. We should not be bothered about where he operates. He is healthy to tackle the myriad of national problems such as security, economy, and National Assembly.”

    He criticised those behind the release of information that President Buhari would be working from home. “They should be more mature with the kind of information they would be feeding the public about the President,” he stated.

    A former Minister of Transport and Aviation, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, said:  “All that I can say about this is that even if he will be working from his farm as long as the economy picks up well, that will not be a problem. He should give semblance of good governance; work on the economy to give Nigerians relief. He should be talking about healing the economy and not the military he spoke about. If he says he would work from his farm or bedroom, I think Nigerians should just allow him to do what he wants to do and support him.”

    But a legal scholar, Dr Ajibola Basiru, said  “if the President was fit to resume work, he should be ready to take full responsibility of his office. If he has not fully recovered, he should step aside and continue his medical vacation; allow the Vice President whom he had commended for doing a good job while he was away to continue in acting capacity.”

    United Progressives Party (UPP) National Chairman Chekwas Okorie described the move as “unprecedented”. This arrangement is definitely not the best and will bring retardation and stagnation to governance. The president believes it is still comfortable for him to be at the driver’s seat while oiling the machinery of governance at the detriment of the country. It certainly a very bad arrangement that will not add value to the country; it is like ruling Nigeria with a remote control and this is quite unthinkable.

    “If this line of action is followed, it means the President would be at home manning the lever of the vehicle, while the Vice President will be manning the steering of the vehicle. This has never happened anywhere in the world. The obvious consequences of this are that it will lead to retardation, retrogression and governance will be at low ebb. Nigeria is in a very serious critical situation.”

  • COSON honours Mohammed for dedication to creative campaign

    COSON honours Mohammed for dedication to creative campaign

    •Minister restates Fed Govt’s commitment to creative industry

    The Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON) has honoured Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed for his dedication to the campaign for the rights of creative people.

    The event took place on Saturday when the minister visited the COSON House in Lagos.

    At the elaborate ceremony featuring a red carpet reception, music and documentary videos, the minister was presented with the ’’Copyright Medal of Honour’’ and his name entered in the ‘’COSON Roll of Honour’’ after the reading of his citation.

    The society’s chairman, Tony Okoroji, who made the presentation that rounded off the hours-long ceremony, described the minister as an ”unassailable and fearless public servant”.

    Okoroji thanked Mohammed as the first minister to visit the imposing green-and-white COSON House.

    The minister, who said he was very proud of COSON, thanked the organisation for the award and the hosting, which he described as ”one of the best Saturday mornings” I have had.

    He said COSON is a ‘’Made in Nigeria Organisation’’ functioning as an international organisation in terms of competence, excellence and the understanding of its core mandate, but noted that the achievements of the organisation are largely under-reported.

    Mohammed restated the Federal Government’s commitment to providing the enabling environment for the creative industry to thrive.

    The minister added that the administration’s economic and growth plan mentioned the industry as one of the key areas for the diversification of the economy.

    He listed the provision of infrastructure, strong laws, protection of Intellectual Property and the enforcement of existing laws as some of the areas in which the government can intervene.

    Mohammed added: ‘’This administration is steadily and consistently addressing those issues.’’

    The minister said efforts are also being made to give the creative industry a pioneer status so it can qualify for such incentives as tax holidays and waivers, especially customs duties on the equipment for film and music production, among others.

    Decrying the situation in which films and music meant for consumption in Nigeria are made in foreign countries, he said the government is determined to ensure that what is consumed in Nigeria, including films and music, must be made in Nigeria.

    The minister was accompanied on the visit by the heads of relevant parastatals in the ministry, including the Directors-General of the NTA (Yakubu Ibn Mohammed), FRCN (Mansur Liman), NTDC (Folorunso Coker) and the Executive Director of the Nigerian Film and Video Censors Board (Adedayo Thomas).

    Chief Ebenezer Obey, Ras Kimono and 2Baba, who could not join their colleagues to receive the minister, spoke to the audience at the ceremony via recorded videos.

    “It is a great day to have you in our midst. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I have to be in London. Notwithstanding my travelling to London, I am here with you in spirit. At COSON, we are for the progress of all. Hon. Minister, we thank you for being here with us,’’ Obey said.

  • Osinbajo, Mohammed for creative industry summit

    Osinbajo, Mohammed for creative industry summit

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo and Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, are expected on Monday to attend the open session of the creative industry summit.

    The objectives of the summit, which will hold at the Eko Hotels and Suites, are to create platforms for investment and financing film, television and music productions.

    Osinbaji is expected to deliver a keynote speech at the event, which will also be attended by notable local and international business executives, including Executive Vice President of International Brands & Press, Rachel Glaister, Managing Director of Chiswick Studio, Lindsey Oliver, Chief Executive Officer of Iroko TV, Jason Njoku, and Senior Vice President of EMEA South, Graham Spencer, among others.

    Films and television producers, copyright lawyers, actors and investors are expected to grace the event.

  • Ossy strikes late to give ABS FC 2-1 win over Tornadoes

    Ossy strikes late to give ABS FC 2-1 win over Tornadoes

    Martin Ossy came from the bench to help ABS Football Club of Ilorin FC beat hard-fighting Niger Tornadoes FC of Minna 2-1.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the match day 22 2016/2017 NPFL encounter was played on Sunday in Ilorin at the Kwara Stadium.

    Abdullahi Wakili and Samuel Agba started the game brightly for the visitors as they were threatening Ernest Governor and Ibrahim Omolayo in the defence for the Saraki Boys.
    The Saraki Boys confidence grew gradually into the game as Adeshina Gata became the star of the match whilst his movement forward dangerous on most occasions.

    Mohammed fired into the roof of the net after a swift turn to put his team ahead 1-0, his 5th of the season and it ended his 17th match goal drought.

    After the goal, the visitors responded very well and were almost rewarded for it when Adewale Yinka in goal for ABS had to punch away Shittu Lawal’s free kick to corner kick.

    The hosts survived a scare in the 38th minute when they struggled to clear their box and Lawal almost capitalised on it.

    With just a few seconds to go for the break, Lukman Hameed tripped Samuel Agba in his own box and the centre referee wasted no time in pointing for the spot kick.

    Abdullahi Wakili stepped forward to take it and made no mistake to make it 1-1 in spite of Adewale’s attempt to watch over the ball.

    The Saraki Boys responded to half time team talk than their visitors did as they were always bombarding Niger Tornadoes defence, with Gata always giving them a tough time.

    The introduction of Martin Ossy and Abubakar Chindo at the restart of the game was the turning point for the Saraki Boys as Tornadoes players found it difficult to cope with the blistering pace of the duo.

    Mohammed was wasteful in front of goals in the second half as Gata’s supplies upfront was not wisely utilised by his forwards.

    Ossy then arrived at the right time to connect Gata’s pass, dribbling past Kazeem Yekeen before tucking home a beautiful finish.

    Speaking after the game, ABS FC coach, Henry Makinwa, said it was a hard earned victory against a very good team.

    “You did everything tactically but they are not working for you. I had to send Ossy in to join Mohammed and gave him some instructions which he executed very well.

    “I am happy that Mohammed has broken the jinx today, and I hope he can now continue to score” Makinwa said.

    His counterpart in Niger Tornadoes, Abubakar Bala, said they were in Ilorin for real business and they almost got a good result.

    “We almost got a point but we lost concentration in the late minutes.

    “However, we have noticed a few of our mistakes and we are going to work on them before we face Rivers United on Wednesday in Lokoja,” Bala said.

    ABS FC will now make a trip to Nnewi for Match Day 23 against FC IfeanyiUbah on Wednesday.

     

  • Recession will end in weeks- Lai Mohammed

    Recession will end in weeks- Lai Mohammed

    Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, yesterday assured the biting recession will end in weeks.

    He said Nigeria was gradually moving out of recession.

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

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

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

    “The exchange rate is regaining some sanity.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

     

  • Why Buhari didn’t attend FEC, by Mohammed

    Why Buhari didn’t attend FEC, by Mohammed

    INFORMATION, Culture & Tourism Lai Mohammed has explained why President Muhammadu Buhari did not chair the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting yesterday.

    He needed rest and attended to government businesses from home, the minister said, adding that he mandated Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to chair the meeting that lasted for about two hours.

    The President was not at the FEC meeting a fortnight ago. That of last week was cancelled due to what the Presidency called the inability to circulate invitation to cabinet members as a result of the Easter holiday.

    At the end of the meeting, Mohammed told State House reporters that the President needed to rest and had directed his vice to stand in for him.

    Stressing that Buhari would operate from home yesterday, the minister said that all pending files requiring his attention had been to his official residence on the President’s directive.

    He said: “We just concluded the FEC meeting, I’m sure you noticed that the President was not there. He was not there because he asked that he be allowed to rest and asked the VP to preside.

    “And he will be working from home. He has asked all his files to be taken to him in the house. He will be working from home today.”

    Prof Osinbajo was scheduled to meet with the President at home for consultation after the close of work yesterday.

  • Mohammed, Ijamoje, others for advocacy lecture

    Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Lai Muhammed, will lead other dignitaries to the inaugural lecture of online media outfit, timeline.ng, slated for Tuesday at Sheraton Hotels, Lagos.
    The event, which is at the auspices of the educative platform of the outfit, Timeline Awareness Initiative (TAI ), according to the organisers, was borne out of the quest to get Nigerians more informed about the use of various social media platforms for prompt dissemination in tackling the myriad of challenges facing the country.
    Ace sports broadcaster and Chairman of Brila FM, Dr. Larry Izamoje, and Mr. Wole-Madariola Olumide, an Israel-trained security expert, will also deliver papers on the theme: ‘Relevance of Social Media as a tool in reviving a recessed economy and security challenges’.
    Other dignitaries expected at the event include former Abia State governor Orji Kalu, Senator Adeola Olamilekan and Lagos Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, amongst others.
    The event will also witness the formal launch of www.timelineng run by a former editor with Global Excellence magazine, Yusuf Adeoye.