Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, today offered 10 critical responses to issues troubling the Buhari-led government. While calling Nigerians to trust the present administration and hope for a better future, he said:
1. That Nigeria will stop importing refined petroleum products by end of 2018
2. That Power generation dropped because of activities of vandals and saboteurs, leaving government in a near helpless situation.
3. That Nigerians should expect the economy to pick up once the budget is passed
4. That President Buhari’s argument on review of APC’s promise on N5000 stipend to the vulnerable is superior and should be applauded.
5, That the office of the Vice President is at present working with established consultants to aggregate the list of vulnerable Nigerians while the assistance of multi-lateral agencies has been sought for the funding of the project.
6. That the violence in Rivers State is being instigated by the elite and some cultists.
7. That security agencies have been mandated to decisively deal with individuals and organisations perceived to be instrumental in the disturbance of public peace in the Niger Delta and elsewhere.
8. That NNPC is responsible for almost 90% of petroleum products imported into the country but unfortunately lacks the capacity to distribute.
9. That since oil prices are rock-bottom, government is no longer concentrating on subsidy but tackling corruption and inefficiency in the industry
10. That government is trusting that the coming of Dangote refinery and others will push up supplies and drag price of petroleum products down
Lai Mohammed called on Nigerians to be less critical of government, noting that the basic difference between the present administration and the former is the aggression with which the Buhari-led government was pursuing the anti-graft war and other developmental goals. He spoke at a live programme anchored by Channels Television.
Ripples.com
