The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris has said that despite the difficulties facing Nigeria on various fronts especially on the economic and security angles, the nation is still forging ahead with a lot of positive strides.
In a press statement titled: “Amidst Challenges, Nigeria will Forge Ahead”, the Information Minister essentially talked on the state of the Nation.
In the statement, Mohammed Idris acknowledged the challenging reality Nigeria currently find itself especially with the impact of inflation on personal and household budgets, and the threats to security in parts of the country. He however stated that these challenges are only part of the story.
According to the Minister, “just as important are the various bold measures that the Federal Government of Nigeria, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is taking to decisively confront all of these challenges. We fully acknowledge the duty and the responsibility of care that the Federal Government owes to every Nigerian, across the lines of age, gender, religion, ethnicity, and social class.”
“In the area of security, all threats are being boldly confronted. We are taking the fight to the criminals’ dens, with promising results. Within the last week, several bandits, kidnappers and militants have been neutralized or arrested.”
On the Plateau crisis, Mohammed Idris said,”the resurgent crisis in Plateau State is indeed highly regrettable, and we assure that all perpetrators of violence there, and everywhere else in the country, are being brought to book. Justice will be done, and peace will be restored in all affected communities. We salute the gallantry of security and intelligence agencies who are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that we are safe in our homes and on the highways, and that criminals have no breathing space.”
On the economic front, the Minister explained that, all relevant Ministries and Agencies of the Federal Government are working in coordinated fashion, to bring down inflation, stabilize foreign exchange rates, and create a truly enabling environment for business and investment.
He went on to reel out some impactful interventions that are being rolled out by the federal government, including a Students’ Loan Scheme, a Presidential Initiative to deploy lower-cost CNG mass transit buses to provide alternatives to petrol and diesel, as well as various low-interest loan schemes for businesses.
“The CNG interventions will bring down the cost of transportation by more than 50 percent. We urge Nigerians to take advantage of these opportunities as they emerge, as they have been designed for the benefit of all”, the Minister stated.
The Minister in the statement also urged Nigerians to resist all forces and narratives of misinformation and division. He weighed in on the recent controversy regarding the relocation of the offices of some government agencies/departments from Abuja to Lagos.
“For example, it is not true that the relocation to Lagos of the Headquarters of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and of certain departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), are political moves aimed at marginalizing a section of the country. These allegations are unfounded. Instead, these are pragmatic administrative steps to improve operational efficiency and reduce operating costs.”
“I would like to urge all Nigerians to be especially mindful of all persons and groups at home and abroad, who specialize in making false and inciting claims on radio, TV and social media, as well as in peddling altered videos and images for viral dissemination. We must all stand together as one, against these forces that constantly seek to test and break the bonds that hold us.
“Nigeria belongs to all of us, and the work of building the Nigeria of our dreams is one that must be done by everyone, regardless of our religious faith or ethnic group or geopolitical zone. It is for this reason that we have produced the Nigerian National Values Charter (NVC), a documentation of the social contract between Government and the citizens, as one of the ways to restore a national sense of hope, trust and solidarity”, Idris stated.
The minister also added that as part of the focus on earning the trust of Nigerians, the fight against corruption will continue, and will intensify. The President, according to him, is determined to ensure that there are no sacred cows, and that public funds are applied wholly for the public good, which is why he is providing the anti-corruption agencies with the support required to fulfill their mandate.
The minister further appealed to Nigerians to shift focus from our present challenges and problems to the abundant opportunities and positive narratives that we are surrounded by.
“We recognize the fact that the country continues to enjoy genuine enthusiasm for investment from local and foreign investors”, the Minister continued.
“In the opening weeks of 2024, our Stock Market has already put us on the global map for the impressive returns being delivered. The Indian businesses that pledged $14 billion in new investment in Nigeria on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in India in September 2023 have since started making good on those pledges.
“Across oil and gas, agriculture, consumer goods, renewable energy, healthcare, ICT and many other fields we are seeing global and local businesses demonstrating unshakable belief in the limitless possibilities that Nigeria embodies.
“The heartwarming exploits of our beloved Super Eagles at the ongoing African Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire are another case in point; a timely reminder that the things that bind us together as one are much deeper than the things that separate and divide us.
“Let us never forget what is truly possible: that instead of division and hatred, we can live and thrive in unity and hope, assured that, despite the temporary challenges and setbacks that we face from time to time, a glorious dawn is just around the corner”, the Minister concluded.