……..Minister Holds town hall meeting in Lokoja.
……..FIC Staff embark on Roadshows…..
FIC Report (Kogi State) – The Federal Government says it has designed several initiatives aimed at reducing the economic summersault to the bearest minimum to cushion the economic hardships suffered by Nigerians, following the removal of PMS subidy.
Thee Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris made this disclosure at the Townhall meeting for the Enlightenment campaign of the Renewed Hope Intervention Programs of Federal Government at Kogi Youth House, Lokoja on Wednesday.
The Minister, represented by the Head of Centre, Federal Information Centre, in kogi state,Mrs. Sabina Abalaka, said there is no doubt that the removal of the subsidy has brought about excruciating hardships as a result of general rise in prices of goods and services and sharp decrease in purchasing power of the people.
He said that that as difficult as this decision is, it is imperative and unavoidable in other to prevent total collapse of the national economy.
“We we are all aware that trillions of dollars have gone down the drain in the name of fuel subsidy and everybody,including local and international economic experts, are in support of the decision.
“This is a passing phase,the pump price of petroleum products will eventually stabilise,” he said.
The Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, said the state government has replicated many federal government programmes at the state level.
Speaking through his Special Adviser, Media, Alhaji Ismaila Isah, Ododo said it is always good to close ranks with Federal government by the state governments.
He enumerated many programmes of Kogi State government aimed at alleviating fuel subsidy removal hardships to include NG Cares, implementation of over 170 projects,Agricultural and food security initiatives, allocation of fertilizer of 50 per cent to the two renowned farming communities to state Bassa and Ibaji Local Government Areas and granting of Community Revolving Loans, granting of credit support to 500 women and youth and many more.
The resource person at the occasion who is also former Head of Centre, Federal Information Centre, Lokoja Alhaji Lawal Karim Shuaib,
said that from the outset,the present administration did not hide it’s determination to take the necessary decision to ensure economic growth and development of the country.
He said to this end, the Federal Government had to take the painful but unavoidable decision to remove the subsidy on petroleum products.
“This undoubtedly brought about hardship on the citizenry because of the general increase in prices of goods and services occasioned by escalating transportation cost,” he noted.
He said in order to mitigate the economic hardship, the Federal Government embarked on some intervention strategies to cushion the effects of the hardship.
He identified some of the strategies as:
- The Student loan Initiative
- The Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CREDICORP)
- The Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprise (IDICE)
- Compressed Natural Gas CNG Initiative and Nigerian Youth Academy NIYA.
Alhaji Lawal advised Nigerians to access the initiatives through these websites:
- Student loan scheme www.nelf.gov.ng,
- Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Initiative www.pci.gov.ng,
- Consumer Credit Corporation www.credicorp.ng,
- Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDiCE) program https://www.boi.ng/iDiCE,
- Skill-Up Artisans Programme (SUPA) https://SUPA.itf.gov.ng,
- Nigerian Youth Academy (NIYA) https://NIYA.ng
- National Youth Talent Export Programme (NATEP) https://natep.gov.ng,
- Micro and Small Business loans https://www.boi.ng/micro-business,
- Housing Initiatives,https://fha.gov.ng/ongoing-projects.
Other sites, he further urged, are:
https://renewedhopehomes.fmhud.gov.ng/ NDDC INTERNSHIP SCHEME (Registration closes on 31/8/24,https://nyis.nddc.gov.ng, Nano- Business Support
(Basically for The Royal Father of the occasion, Maigari of Lokoja Alh Gambo Kabir appreciated both the Federal Government and Kogi State government for providing adequate security.
Represented by the Matawalle of Lokoja Alh Adamu Mohammed he advised the centre to take the campaign down to local wards so that more Nigerians will make the use of the interventions
In his goodwill message the representative of Chairman National Union of Road Transport Workers NURTW Danladi Ibrahim averred that NURTW are the direct beneficiaries of all the interventions, he advised the FG to hasten the CNG conversion so that the prices will drop.
The Townhall meeting was attended by various stakeholders accross the state.
ROADSHOW
The rally commenced from Federal Information Centre Lokoja, it was led by the Head of Centre Mrs. Sabina Abalaka.
All the staff held information materials as they per took in the walk.
The sensitization walk took part in major streets of Lokoja, first stop was at Felele the biggest garage in Kogi.
Community engagement was delivered in different indigenous languages; Pidgin, Igala, Ebira, Yoruba and Hausa languages.
The rally train took it’s second stop at the Kogi State Polytechnic, communication materials were distributed to the students and passers-by.
The last stop was the Lokoja International Market, after the general sensitization there was one on one engagement with the market people, especially the market women.
Maryam Abubakar Gulma
ACIPRO
FIC, Lokoja
