Minister urges Nigerians to leverage information for economic growth

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has stated that the effective use of information by Nigerians can improve the nation’s economic development.

He also urged citizens to be active in seeking relevant information, as he reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to alleviating the sufferings of the citizenry.

The minister, who was represented by the Head of the Federal Information Centre, Istifanus Saluk, made this statement on Friday during a one-day sensitisation workshop on the Federal Government’s interventions, organised by the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation in Gombe State.

Idris said, “The government has a responsibility to provide development; the people should be proactive in seeking information. Sensitising the citizenry is not just about sharing information but empowering the people.

“When people take advantage of information, it can bring development to the economy. The Federal Government is committed to improving the lives of Nigerians.”

Our correspondent reports that Nigeria’s recent economic hardship has been exacerbated by the removal of the fuel subsidy and the rising cost of food items, among other factors.

Explaining the various efforts of the Bola Tinubu-led administration, the minister outlined that the Federal Government, through various initiatives, has been making sincere efforts to cushion the effects of the economic hardship.

He stated that “NELFUND has disbursed N2,946,927,155.00 in interest-free student loans so far to Nigerian tertiary institutions, along with monthly upkeep for 27,667 students; the removal of structural, market, and policy barriers; and the acceleration of access to consumer credit through the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation.”

He also mentioned the provision of “succour to the masses occasioned by the transitional hardship following the removal of the fuel subsidy by the Federal Government via the Presidential CNG initiative (Pi-CNG),” and the empowerment of “young Nigerians aged 18-35 from all regions with knowledge, skills, and mentorship to unlock their potential and become future leaders.”

On his part, the General Manager of Radio Nigeria Jewel FM, Gombe State, Dr Garba Danbatta, who was the guest speaker, emphasised the importance of information dissemination and utilisation.

He noted that most of the Federal Government’s interventions were verifiable, urging residents to work towards getting involved “by demanding the allocated share for each of their states that the Federal Government has provided to benefit.”

He also lauded the president for approving the Ministry of Livestock, saying it would help curb killings on Gombe farms.

“Recently, Mr President created the Ministry of Livestock; the issue of agriculture is too much for one ministry. The creation of the ministry will address the issues of farmers and herders. There have been agitations, and there is a need for a specific agency to handle that.

“We hope that the ministry will be inaugurated to curb the crises. So much blood is shed every rainy season; there is bloodshed in places like Nafada, Doma, and so on. If you see how lives are lost every day, you will shed tears,” Danbatta added.