News

Be conscious of National Security, Minister Tells Journalists

By Web News 449

The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed has urged media professionals to be conscious of national security in discharging their duties.

The Minister stated this at the opening ceremony of a National Conference on ”Peace, Culture and National Security: the Role of the Media” organized by the National Institute for Cultural Orientation, NICO held in Kano.

According to him, promoting biased reporting, fake news, hate speech, and misinformation can worsen security challenges in the country

He appealed to media professionals to cooperate with the federal government to surmount security challenges bedeviling the nation.

He commended NICO for organizing the conferences, which focus on the importance of culture as well as advocacy for peace as a recipe for sustainable national development.

FRCN Abuja/Titilayo Kupoliyi

Security

We are making headway in fight against terrorism – Lai Mohammed

By Web News 407

President Muhammadu Buhari says the ongoing onslaught against terrorism and banditry across the country will be intensified for Nigerians to experience peace and tranquility.

President Buhari stated this in a message to the Citizens Summit For National Integration, Peace and Security organised by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR in Abuja.

Represented by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, the president said his directive to security agencies a few months ago was yielding results, as the military continues to neutralise terrorists and bandits, stressing that henceforth, there will be no hiding place for criminals across the nation.

Similarly, the President of NIPR, Mallam Mukhtar Sirajo observed that Nigerians need to prioritise the unity and peace of the country instead of personal gains.

”The country needs to entrench the culture of social justice, honesty, mutual justice, national mediation, and reconciliation, as well as youth inclusion”, Sirajo said, noting that the task of rebuilding the country was enormous but not insurmountable.

Chairman of the occasion, Dr Dere Awosika emphasised that Nigerians should recognise the nation’s diversity as its strength rather than weakness.

She maintained that proper communication mechanisms and trust must be put in place for all Nigerians.

Oluwaseyi Ajibade/Adetutu Adetule

Subscribe to ourTelegram channel

Economy

Why FG cannot remove fuel subsidy now – Lai Mohammed

By Web News 430

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has said that Federal Government will not remove the fuel subsidies at the moment.

Mr Lai, who stated this on Monday in an exclusive interview with Reuters, said it is wrong to remove the subsidy at this time, as many other nations were introducing measures to help citizens cope with high oil energy prices.

He said Nigeria is Africa’s largest oil exporter, which still has to import almost all its fuel needs due to a lack of refining capacity.

The minister noted that the Federal Government scrapped plans to abolish fuel subsidies earlier this year, a move that raised concerns with the International Monetary Fund.

“When you consider the chaos, the social disharmony and … instability such an action (of abolishing subsidies) would facilitate, is it worth it? I don’t think so,” Lai Mohammed.

Nigeria suffers intermittent fuel shortages. It has raised its deficit forecast twice this year and increased borrowing to cover the cost of the subsidy.

The country’s petroleum production has also fallen short of government targets, with $1 billion in revenue lost to crude oil theft in the first quarter of this year, according to the sector regulator.

Mr Mohammed said a new industry law that allocates money to oil-producing communities would stop attacks, and blamed the European Union’s climate change policies for stifling investment in the sector.

“We believe that climate change is real and important for emission control, but there is a bit of double standard in the EU policy regarding climate change,” he said.

Attacks on oil infrastructure

Alongside attacks on oil infrastructure, much of Nigeria’s North is wracked by violence committed by so-called “bandits”, while dozens were killed in church attacks in the northern state of Kaduna and the southwestern state of Ondo last month.

“We are leaving the country much more secure than we met it,” Mohammed said, noting progress made against Boko Haram since 2015.

He also called upon western countries to declare the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which campaigns for part of southeast Nigeria to secede, a terrorist group.

Asked if Nigerian security forces had killed any innocent people in the country’s southeast during its campaign against IPOB, Mohammed said, “not deliberately”.

Mohammed said he would demand the return of hundreds of priceless sculptures known as the Benin Bronzes when he met with the director of the British Museum later on Monday after Germany returned the first two of more than 1,100 last week.

“I will be telling them that time is running out to return our stolen artefacts,” he said. He said he did not expect a result immediately, but that “it’s about when it’s not if”.

FRCN Abuja/Adetutu Adetule

 

News

Minister Pushes For Deployment of Sign Language Interpreters On TV Stations

By Web News 482

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has directed the National Broadcasting Commission to implement the
Broadcasting Code provision that mandates television stations to deploy sign language interpreters on their major news bulletin, for
the benefit of persons living with disability.

The Minister issued the directive in Abuja on Monday when he received executives of the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities on a courtesy visit to his office.

“I have also directed, within my ministry most importantly, the issue
of television stations having sign language interpreters and by tomorrow, I can assure you that a directive will go out to television
stations pointing their attention to the relevant provisions of the Broadcasting Code. I am sure that in a few weeks time, you will begin
to see the difference,” he said.

Alhaji Mohammed said his ministry will collaborate with the Centre in the implementation of Section Two of the Discrimination Against Persons With Disability (Prohibition) Act by making provisions for the
promotion of awareness regarding the rights, respect and dignity of persons with disabilities as well as highlight their capabilities,
activities and contribution to the society.

He therefore called on the Centre to participate in the creation of content on their activities, which will be disseminated to the public
through the media and the National Orientation Agency.

The Minister expressed delight that President Buhari has fulfilled his campaign promise to the persons living with disability by signing the
Discrimination Against Persons With Disability (Prohibition) Act into law and operationalizing it through the establishment of the National
Commission for Persons with Disability, after a tireless struggle to achieve it in the last 18 years.

He described the present administration as friendly to persons living with disability and said they have been mainstreamed into all the
Social Intervention Programmes of government, including the Survival Fund where 10% of what is being administered by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment is earmarked for persons living with disability.

In his remark, the Executive Director of the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities, Mr. David Anyaele, commended the President for signing
the Discrimination Against Persons With Disability (Prohibition) Act into law and for the establishment of the National Commission for
Persons with Disability in order to promote their welfare and social well-being.

He called on government ministries, departments and agencies to comply
with a provision in the Act, which mandates them to reserve at least 5% of employment opportunities for persons living with disability.

Segun Adeyemi
Special Assistant To The President (Media)
Office of the Minister of Information and Culture
Abuja
22 Feb. 2021

Lifestyle

Nigeria Has Lost A Rare Patriot – Lai Mohammed

By Web News 478

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has

lamented the death of one of his predecessors, Prince Tony Momoh,

saying his demise has robbed Nigeria of a rare patriot and a respected

elder statesman.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister expressed his

profound shock and sadness at the death of Prince Momoh, who was also

a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He said the former Minister was a strong believer in Nigeria’s ability

to surmount its challenges to become a highly respected member of the

comity of nations, noting that this informed his ”Letter To My

Countrymen” series which later culminated in a book, ”Reflections

on Letters To My Countrymen,” which he published in 1993.

Alhaji Mohammed said Prince Momoh, in his lifetime, worked tirelessly

with many like him for the merger of parties that gave birth to the

APC.

”To ensure the success of the new party, Prince Momoh and his

colleagues from the other merging parties ensured that the parties

were not just dissolved, but also that their registration certificates

were returned to INEC, which then cancelled them,” he said.

The Minister said in his regular communications with Prince Momoh, he

never for once wavered in his belief in a strong, peaceful and united

Nigeria, and he worked hard to ensure the realization of this until

his last breath.

He said the former Minister will be remembered for his meritorious

service to his fatherland, his love of humanity and his loyalty, and

urged his family to take solace in his indelible legacy.

Alhaji Mohammed prayed that God will grant repose to the soul of the

departed and also comfort and strengthen his family.

Segun Adeyemi

Special Assistant To The President (Media)

Office of the Hon Minister of Information and Culture

Abuja

2Feb2021

Security

Probe of Service Chiefs Unpatriotic – Lai Mohammed

By Web News 577

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has described the calls for the International Criminal Court to probe the immediate past Service Chiefs as unpatriotic.

The Minister who stated this during Radio Nigeria Programme, Politics Nationwide” said those calling for probe of the former service chiefs did not have the competence to talk on military structure and formations whether in the North-East or in any other parts of the country.

He noted that the Ex- Service Chiefs obeyed the rules of engagement and where there were infractions, there are internal regulations and internal mechanisms to address them.

The minister assured the people that the new service chiefs have hit the ground running and would ensure Nigeria overcome the insurgency war in the North-East and in other parts of the country.

President Muhammadu Buhari last week announced new leadership for the nation’s military after the former occupants stayed for five years at the helm of affairs.

Ridwan Fasasi 

Lifestyle

Former Minister of Information, Alexander Akinyele Buried Amidst Accolades

By Web News 2433

Humanity has been enjoined to strive to satisfy God rather than man as such will determine where they spend their eternity

The Bishop of Ondo Anglican Diocese, Right Reverend Stephen Oni gave the admonition at the burial service of the former Minister of Information, Chief Alexander Akinyele which took place at All Saints Anglican Church, Ogbonkowo, Ondo kingdom.

Bishop Oni who spoke on the topic, “The Choice Is Yours: Translation or Condemnation”, described death as a passage to an appointment of no return hence man should please God and continually live a life of reflection.

The Bishop described late Akinyele as a man of influence who impacted lives and called on those in positions of authority to live a life that pleases God and better humanity.

The Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, represented by the Director, Human Resource Management in the ministry, Mr. Sunday Ewa, said Chief Akinyele’s contributions to nation-building would remain indelible.

Also speaking at the service, a former governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko who described late Chief Akinyele as an illustrious son of Ondo kingdom said he would be greatly missed.

The children in separate interviews with Radio Nigeria said the demise of their father had left a vacuum that would be difficult to fill.

Dignitaries at the burial service included Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, the Osemawe of Ondo kingdom, Oba Dr. Victor Kiladejo represented by his wife, Ondo high chiefs, the Director General, Radio Nigeria, Dr. Mansur Liman represented by Zonal Director Radio Nigeria, Ibadan, Alhaji Mohammed Bello, and other top government functionaries.

Oye Agunbiade