Protocol.
- It is my pleasure to be here in this ancient and great city of Kano. I bring you greetings from His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the entire Federal Government of Nigeria.
- For me, personally, coming to Kano is always a return home, having spent time here studying for Master’s degree, thirty years ago. So, this is a city that means a lot to me.
- For the Ministry, this is also home, given that a good number of our agencies, like the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Voice of Nigeria (VON) and others are very well represented in Kano.
- I have not come here alone, I am here with a delegation of senior government officials, from the Presidency and the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, including chief executives of our agencies. It is only appropriate that we start by paying a courtesy visit to the Governor of Kano State, His Excellency Abba Kabir Yusuf.
- I thank you, your Excellency, for hosting us, and for your leadership in Kano State. The recent affirmation of your electoral win by the Supreme Court has no doubt inspired you to redouble your efforts to deliver the dividends of democracy to the teeming people of Kano State.
- Let me say that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is very committed to supporting all subnational governments in Nigeria, regardless of party affiliation. All Nigerians equally deserve peace, security, prosperity, progress and all the other benefits of good governance, regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender, geography or political ideology.
- The President has regularly been engaging with the Governors, to understand their issues, and to offer support. In addition, ongoing economic reforms have significantly increased the revenues available to all the three tiers of Government. And more will be done to ensure that States enjoy the support and collaboration of the Federal Government, to accomplish the promises and pledges that you have made to the people.
Your Excellency, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
- We are here in Kano as representatives of His Excellency, Mr. President, to meet with Nigerians, from various walks of life. The President has tasked us with engaging with various groups of stakeholders, to share and explain what his administration has been doing to make life better for all Nigerians, and to ask for patience and understanding in the face of the economic challenges we are experiencing.
- No doubt, these are difficult times, but they are a necessary prelude to better times for all. Things will certainly get better. Some difficult economic decisions have had to be made, for the ultimate benefit of the country. The pains are temporary, but the benefits will last, and will be enjoyed by all.
- Your Excellency, let me use this opportunity to briefly highlight the vision and mandate of the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, under my leadership. That vision is captured by a 5-point agenda, as follows:
a. To RESTORE public trust in public communications.
b. To AMPLIFY policies and programs of the Federal Government, as well as inspiring Nigerian narratives.
c. To REORIENT national values and deepen the social contract between government and citizens.
d. To MODERNIZE technology and talent in the Federal Government’s Information and Communications systems.
e. To CREATE an enabling operating environment for the media in Nigeria, through favorable policies and incentives.
- Everything we do is built around these pillars, and in the course of our time in Kano, we will be engaging in activities that, in one way or another, advance all five priorities.
- I solicit your cooperation and support, going forward, because I believe that this is a shared vision for all of us. As governments, we all seek to ensure that the people are aware of what we are doing on their behalf and for their benefit. And we are all very much invested in this issue of national reorientation – building a nation where people are aware of their rights and responsibilities.
- On this note, let me again thank His Excellency Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for the hospitality. I look forward to our time in Kano State.
- Thank you for listening.
Mohammed Idris
Minister of Information and National Orientation
Kano, Kano State
