We will allay the hardship of Nigerians- Lai Mohammed

Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Development

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed says the Federal Government is aware of the sufferings and pains of Nigerians and is working hard to assuage it.

Mohammed gave this promise when he featured on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja.

“We will appeal to Nigerians’ to bear with us we are working day and night to assuage the hardship of Nigerians.

“Only yesterday the Federal Executive Council again approved the Borrowing Rolling Plan for 2016 to 2019, because we need external borrowings and multilateral borrowings to be able to compliment our budget.”

He said the Federal Government will not leave matters, or rest until it found a solution to the economic crisis facing the country.

He said the inability of the government to fund the 2016 budget, was due largely to the shortfall in production and the crash in the price of crude oil.

“These are some of the issues the government is grabbling with.

“We hear your cry out there, I want to assure you that sooner than later the government will make sure that the hardship and pains will be assuaged.

“People say times are hard, we do appreciate that and we are doing everything to get out of it.

“But we could have also taken an easy way out and passed the burden to the next generation but we don’t want to do that.”

On the folding up of factories, he explained that it was due to the nonavailability of foreign exchange.

According to him, companies can no longer get forex to buy raw materials to service their machinery in addition to poor electricity.

He said Nigeria was losing 1000 megawatt of power daily to the activities of militants in the Niger Delta.

The minister, however, said that government was putting in place incentives and measures to ensure that factories do not close up.

On the challenges faced by an airline operator, Mohammed said the affected airline had been on receivership for more than two years.

He said that Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) had already chosen a management for the affected company.

“When a company folds off like that it could be as a result of many factors, after all, we once had a national carrier.”

The minister stressed the need for the diversification of the economy.

Comments

Court grants Fani-Kayode N50m bail

Fani-kayode sandwiched by EFCC officials Justice James Tsoho of the Federal High Court Abuja on Thursday granted a N50m bail to former spokesman of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode. Fani-Kayode was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a five-count charge of money laundering to the tune of N26m. Fani-Kayode is the sole defendant in the fresh charges numbered, FHC/ABJ/CR/140/2016. The EFCC accused the defendant of diverting 26 million Naira allegedly received from the ONSA while Sambo Dasuki was in office. The anti-graft agency also accused him of handling the said N26 million without going through financial institution as required under the Money Laundering Act. The embattled former minister is already facing 17-count charge of money laundering before the Lagos Division of the court, along with a former Finance Minister; Nenadi Usman, Danjuma Yusuf and a firm; Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited. They were charg

FG berates US congressman over comment

Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture Photo: Femi Ipaye/PM News The Federal Government has described as sadly out of tune with reality the published letter from US Congressman Tom Marino to Secretary of State John Kerry, asking the US to withhold security assistance to Nigeria on the strength of some imaginary infraction by the Buhari Administration. In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said Congressman Marino was poorly informed about the issues he commented on, wondering why he did not take the pains to get first hand information from the US Embassy in Nigeria or any other credible source before engaging in what is nothing but a ‘propaganda of his own imagination’. The Minister said by asking the US to refrain from selling warplanes and other military equipment to Nigeria based on a faulty premise, the Congressman has demonstrated a poor understanding of global security issues. ”Insecurity anywhere i

Aubameyang leads Gabon to Nations Cup

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leads the cast for Gabon as the hosts became the first team to name their final 2017 Africa Cup of Nations squad. The team captain and Borussia Dortmund star will lead the home players out for the opening game of the tournament against debutants Guinea-Bissau on 14 January in Libreville. Gabon have also named Sunderland midfielder Didier Ndong despite the player being left out of November’s World Cup qualifier in Mali. Ndong was in the capital city Libreville but failed to turn up for international duty ahead of the Mali game last month, forcing the Gabonese Football Federation [Fegafoot] to send him back to England. But a remorseful Ndong, who held clear-the-air talks with Fegafoot has been included in a 23-man Panthers squad. Other names to make the final party include Juventus midfielder Mario Lemina, Bruno Ecuélé Manga of Cardiff City and China-based striker Malick Evouna. Gabon coach José Antonio Camacho included three do

Global Naija Info

Search This Blog