Federal Government’s battle to stem inflation, exchange rate crises is total, Information and National Orientation Minister Mohammed Idris said yesterday.
Idris said the government was deploying the required measures, including devoting various ministries and agencies under its control, to bring down rising inflation and stabilizing the foreign exchange market for the prosperity and comfort of all Nigerians.
The minister, who gave the assurance yesterday in a statement issued in Abuja, also assured that all perpetrators of the resurgent violence and killings in Plateau State would be apprehended and prosecuted, especially as the government is currently facing the issue of security boldly.
Shedding lights on the efforts being made relieve Nigerians of the prevailing challenges, the minister listed a number of programmes and government initiatives, targeted at cushioning the effects of the current realities.
He warned Nigerians to be wary of fifth columnists, who wreak havocs through misinformation and division.
The statement reads: “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 State 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 on the 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, stabilize foreign exchange rates, and create a truly enabling environment for business and investment. The Nigeria that President Tinubu seeks to build is one where no one is left behind.
“Impactful interventions are being rolled out, including a Students’ Loan Scheme, a Presidential Initiative to deploy lower-cost CNG mass transit buses to provide alternatives to petrol and diesel, and various low-interest loan schemes for businesses.
“The CNG interventions will bring down the cost of transportation by more than 50 percent. We urge Nigerians to take advantage of these opportunities as they emerge, as they have been designed for the benefit of all.”
He also noted that being mindful of its role in achieving the model – Nigeria, the federal government had introduced the Nigerian National Charter, spelling out the contract between Nigerians and the federal government.
The minister said: “Nigeria belongs to all of us, and the work of building the Nigeria of our dreams is one that must be done by everyone, regardless of our religious faith or ethnic group or geopolitical zone.
“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.”
On the fight against corruption, Idris said: “As part of this focus on earning the trust of Nigerians, the fight against corruption will continue, and will intensify. Determined to ensure that there are no sacred cows, and that public funds are applied wholly for the public good, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is providing the anti-corruption agencies with the support required to fulfill their mandate.
“We will not succeed at building the Nigeria of our dreams if we insist on focusing only on our challenges and problems, and not the abundant opportunities and positive narratives that we are surrounded by.
“We recognize the fact that the country continues to enjoy genuine enthusiasm for investment from local and foreign investors.”
On other successes, Idris said: “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 thatNigeriaembodies.”
