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FG addressing economy, security challenges- Information Minister

Published

4 months ago

January 28, 2024

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed idris, says the Federal Government is addressing security and economy challenges of the country.

In a statement on Sunday in Abuja, Idris said that the government was not downplaying the current situation faced by Nigerians.

He said that the administration was aware of its duties and responsibilities to all Nigerians irrespective of any differences.

“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.

“The resurgent crisis in Plateau 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 highways, and that criminals have no breathing space.

“Regarding the economy, all relevant Ministries and Agencies of the Federal Government are working in coordinated fashion, to bring down inflation, stabilise foreign exchange rates, and create a truly enabling environment for business and investment,” Idris said.

The Minister said non-kinetic measures are being taken to curtail these challenges such as the Students’ Loan Scheme, the Presidential Initiative on CNG and various low-interest loan schemes for businesses.

“Even as we tackle our challenges with urgency and dedication, it is also necessary to remind all Nigerians of the need to resist all forces and narratives of misinformation and division.

“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 marginalising 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 specialise in making false and inciting claims on radio, TV and social media, as well as in peddling altered videos and images for viral dissemination.

“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 said.

The Minister further stated that as part of this focus on earning the trust of Nigerians, the fight against corruption would continue with intensity.

He said Tinubu is determined to ensure that there are no sacred cows, and that public funds are applied wholly for the public good.

Idris added that the president is providing the anti-corruption agencies with the support required to fulfill their mandate.

The Minister said that citizens must continue to focus the abundant opportunities that presents themselves instead of only on challenges and problems.

He said that the country has continued to enjoy genuine enthusiasm for investment from local and foreign investors since the coming of the Tinubu-led administration.

“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 not forget what is truly possible: that instead of division and hatred, we can live and thrive in unity and hope, assured that, in spite of the temporary challenges and setbacks that we face from time to time, a glorious dawn is just around the corner,” Idris said.

Related Topics:Information Minister Mohammed Idris

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Retired police officers storm National Assembly, protest against unpaid pensions

Published

54 mins ago

May 21, 2024

NewsDirect

Retired Police Officers of Nigeria under the contributory pension scheme stormed the National Assembly in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, to protest several months of unpaid pensions.

The retirees on Tuesday representing various state chapters lamented the severe hardships faced due to the failure of the National Pension Commission to pay their entitlements.

The retired police officers are urging the Federal Government to remove them from the contributory pension scheme.

Protest by retired police officers have have been recurrent, particularly on grievances over their entitlements.

In September 2021, retired officers from 27 states had also stormed the National Assembly in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, demanding their pension payments.

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Reps set up technical committee, invite NSA over faulty presidential aircraft

Published

1 hour ago

May 21, 2024

NewsDirect

The House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence has resolved to constitute a technical committee to address issues concerning the epileptic malfunctioning of the presidential aircraft.

This is just as the lower chamber has resolved to summon the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu and the Commander of the presidential fleet to explain the breakdown of aircrafts in the presidential fleet.

The committee on Monday met with the commander of the Presidential Air fleet, Air Vice Marshal Olayinka Olusola, behind closed doors at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja to deliberate on the circumstances that resulted in the use of a chartered plane by the President, Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima recently.

Recall that the President had in April flown a chartered plane from the Netherlands to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to attend the World Economic Forum.

Also recently, Vice President Shettima cancelled his trip to the United States where he was scheduled to represent President Tinubu at the 2024 US-Africa Business Summit as a result of a faulty aircraft.

Debating a motion of urgent public importance brought on the floor of the House by the Chairman, the House Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Ahmad Satomi, the lawmakers resolved to invite the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu and the Commander of the presidential fleet to explain the faulty breakdown of planes in the presidential fleet, despite the huge allocation in the annual budgets to maintain them.

During the debate, House Minority Whip, Isa called on the President and Vice President to consider travelling by road to ascertain the truth of road infrastructure across the country.

Briefing journalists after the executive session, Satomi said a technical committee will be set up to interface with the officials at the presidential air fleet to generate a resolution.

“The committee has engaged the commandant of the presidential air fleet, the NSA and a lot has been discussed. It is a very sensitive national security issue that has to do with our President. And looking at our role in the foreign policy position of Nigeria, this is not something that we will come out publicly and discuss. Nevertheless, a lot has been explained.

“The committee resolved to set up a small technical committee to interface with the NSA, commandant, and all the stakeholders within a short period to come up with a final resolution that will foster the best for Nigeria, our President and the entire team of the presidential air fleet.

“So, I think for now the technical team will engage all the stakeholders in the presidential air fleet who have something to say. At the end, we will come up with a final resolution. But for now, we have not taken the decision. But we must have something that will represent Nigeria as a country,” he said.

Responding to whether the planes need to be fixed or replaced outrightly, the lawmaker said, “For now, we have not resolved on that. The entire presidential air fleet is okay for now. It is not the issue of either to repair or to think of getting new ones. All that we know is that as a country, our position in global policy — we need something that will represent our image because our pride will show how Nigeria is.

“So, we are yet to conclude or finalise but they have explained enough. Some of the incidents are just media propaganda. It is not what we expected or what we thought happened. It is something different.”

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Breaking: MPC raises MPR to 25.25%

Published

1 hour ago

May 21, 2024

NewsDirect

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has raised the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) to 25.25%

At the end of the 295th MPC meeting held on May 20th & 21st, the committee voted to raise the MPR by 150bps to 26.25%.

The committee however retained the asymmetric corridor at +100/-300 around the MPR and the CRR of Commercial banks at 45.00%.

The liquidity ratio constant holds at 30.00%.

Recall the the committee in February hiked the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) by 400-basis-points to 22.75 percent and the cash reserve ratio to 45 percent, a record hike that took several analysts by surprise.