Subsidy removal opportunity for provision of essential goods, services – Minister

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, says subsidy removal on petrol provided opportunity for states and local governments to make available more goods and services to citizenry.

Idris said this in Abuja on Wednesday at the National media veterans round-table and investiture of National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC) goodwill ambassadors of Age-friendly and elder justice.

The round-table of retired media veterans and entertainment personalities was organised by the NSCC.

The programme was part of the activities put together to celebrate the 2024 International Day of older persons.

The day is celebrated annually on Oct. 1, and the theme for 2024 is “Celebrating older persons and the integral role they play in community”.

The Minister was represented at the programme by Dr Dili Ezughah, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Press Council.

Idris said that the decision to float the Naira was gradually stabilising the value of the currency, granting investors the requisite indices to plan with and generate the much-needed Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

He said that Nigeria’s external reserves, which was 35 billion dollars as of May 2023, now stood at 37 billion dollars and still rising.

The Minister, however, commended the productive mind of the senior citizens who were present at the programme, adding that they are only retired but not tired.

He charged the senior citizens to help drive the mindset of Nigerian youths towards progressive activities of the country as they constitute 70 per cent of the country’s population.

“As parents and grandparents, we owe it a duty to ourselves and our youths to direct their focus towards progressive activities that will translate to positive development for our great country,” he said.

Earlier, the Director-General of NSCC, Mrs Emem Omokaro, said that older people were still assets to the country, stressing that all forms of discrimination must be stop against them.

Omokaro said that older persons needed some care, adding that they deserved to be treated with dignity at all times.

“Every older person’s has a right, there is no stage in ageing that a man’s right diminishes. We must mobilise natural support for this people, ” she said.

Alhaji Ladan Salihu, former Director-General of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), said that the programme was a congregation of prolific, experience and well grounded professionals who have retired.

Salihu said that the gathering was a platform that had provided a reconnect methodology for people to appreciate the constraint, limitations, challenges and way forward in managing these professionals.

He commended NSCC for the laudable initiative, saying that the agency had found the necessity to bring these experienced individuals together to discuss.

He called on all agencies of the government to take a cue from the NSCC idea.

NAN reports that among those who were at the event are Joke Silver, Tony Akposheri, Mr Chika Okpala, Alias Zebudaya, retired Nollywood veterans actors and actresses.

Media giants like Idi Farouk, former Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Peter-Igho, and Cyril Stober, retired staffs of Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), and Grace Yussuf of News Agency of Nigeria were also present.

The highlight of the event was the inauguration of goodwill ambassadors of NSCC, where Peter-Igho will serve as Chairman.