“Media owners and political leaders are not to be bent on taking frontline political interests as a country is about a people and its economy with the political economy essential for virile growth, the Information Minister told the media at the World Press Conference held at the National Press Centre, Radio House on Tuesday December 31, 2013.
Labaran Maku explained that ideas for growing the Nigerian economy have been coordinated by the economic management team; saying in 2013, the IMF projected economic growth for Nigeria at 7% which is rated highest for the country.
According to him, stable exchange rate for the naira has been ensured by the present administration to enable planning and strategizing for corporate organizations and government. He also noted that Nigeria’s foreign reserve to the tune of three billion dollars was inherited and 48 billion dollars is presently the digit established and Nigeria’s foreign and domestic debts compared to South Africa, UK and USA in-spite of economic meltdown has been managed well.
He also observed that while comments on Africans by Europeans have been noted as disparaging and Ethiopia was regarded as the end of civilization, Africans discovered fire and agriculture, noting that this was more expedient than space travel. “The best artworks, he said being produced in Benin and Ife as well as the Nok Culture dating to 2,000 years reveals that productivity, creativity and learning existed here with some of the earliest and best human civilisation located in Nigeria.
“Next year 2014, Africans should rejoice over the country and Nigerians and young peoples should think about how to make the country grow tremendously. From the period of the country’s creation to the modern day, seaports, airports, railways, schools have been built and literacy introduced. The tears in the hearts of Africans have been the indignity portrayed to outsiders that Africans are not capable of education. Africans should not misinterpret their future,” he warned.
While mentioning some of the achievements of the present administration, he itemized improvements such as maintaining a prudent economy, reforming the public service and the financial system through the Integrated Information Management System which has enabled proper monitoring of funds to stem the inadequacies experienced in the past and helped to upbraid the economy.
The Minister informed that share holding value has been leveraged and capitalization better with the enabling policies in all the sectors allowing stability to grow the economy through increased investments. He noted that the General Electric Company has commenced the construction of batteries in the Calabar Export Processing Zone and the largest refinery is ongoing in Ondo State.
He said that 150 companies are engaging in manufacturing services in the Calabar, Port- Harcourt and Onne free trade zones with about $4billion business capital engaged.
Speaking on the agric sector advancement, he identified the manufacturing of petrochemicals, cement production increase of about 8 million metric tonnes and the power sector revitalisation with about $3bn investment from the transformation agenda and providing the leeway to connect the entire country.
On transportation, he mentioned that consistency in policy implementation has ensured changes in the transport sector; whilst investment here has noticed links between Lagos and Kano with air -conditioned couches as well as movement of petroleum products by rail. He said: the capital dredging of the ports with assess to the sea through the Warri Port has been executed; new railway lines would link the South-East, South-South and South – West and the Lagos – Ibadan Expressway which was abandoned for several years is presently being handled by Julius Berger; road construction projects have been engaged across the country with several already completed.
On the aviation sector, the Minister stated that progress has been marked through the rehabilitation of the airports in Benin, Lagos, Abuja, Calabar, Owerri, Port-Harcourt, Asaba and Makurdi. Food production, he noted has featured the cultivation of maize, yam, sorghum, cassava with huge investments in agricultural areas like the processing of fruits in Benue State and balsam juice in Cross River State as well initiatives by the Dangote Group of Companies.
Also itemized was grain reservation for food security and cassava financing; noting that about 1.3 metric tones annual production of cassava is being projected and 3.2 metric tonnes of cassava chips procured annually.
“Rice milling for domestic consumption with 1.2 million dollar financing of rice production is expected to yield 3.2 million metric tonnes and 100 new rice mills are to be established. Agric programmes have geared towards supporting farmers in rice production and fertilizer acquisition whenever planting is on-stream. Nigeria is also projected to become a fertilizer exporting country very soon,” he indicated.
Maku averred that security challenges in the country have been created by citizens not the government, stressing that the President has worked hard to curb insecurity with the cooperation of the Armed Forces. He said that insurgency presently has been centralized in Yobe and Borno States, adding that increased deployment of forces as well as networking has helped to quell attacks and the high population of Nigeria has proved a hiding place for insurgents.
While responding to questions from the media and civil society organizations, the Minister congratulated Nigerian youths for winning various prices in international sporting competitions and called on Nigerian leaders to base leadership on quality and direction rather than money, saying the Nigerian social system requires attitudinal change and tackling of the avenues for corrupt practices.
Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) Press Release
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