Many Are Now Mocking Us But - Lai Mohammed Speaks Out

While speaking at a town hall meeting in Enugu on
Monday, the outspoken Minister of Information and
Culture, Lai Mohammed, has disclosed that the
change promised by the President Muhammadu
Buhari-led All Progressive Congress (APC) is real
even though the party is now the subject of
mockery among Nigerians.

According to a report by TheCable, the minister
who stressed that the change promised by the APC
is 'already here', indicated that part of the change
being witnessed by Nigerians is the prosecution of
treasury looters and the entrenchment of
accountability in public service.

“Many have said they are yet to see the change we
promised. Many more have called the promise a
ruse. In fact, they are now mocking us. But we
remain undaunted because we know that the change
we promised is real. In fact, the change we
promised is already here, and it is manifesting all
around us.

“Before now, public officials simply opened the
public till, took as much money as they wanted and
walked away without consequences. That explains
why funds allocated to the military to fight Boko
Haram ended up in the piggy banks of many
unscrupulous Nigerians.

“Today, all those who looted the public treasury are
being made to answer for their actions, as impunity
gives way to accountability. Many have offered to
return their loots, and many more are facing
charges,” he said.

Lai Mohammed further noted that the government
was actively diversifying the economy, such that a
great percentage of the N500 billion realised from
the federal accounts allocation committee came
from the non-oil sector.

“We promised to diversify the economy away from
oil, to ensure that other sectors are able to
significantly contribute to sustainable development.

“In June 2016, for the very first time, about 70 per
cent of the more than N500 billion raised from the
Federal Accounts Allocation Committee came from
the non-oil sector, while 30 per cent came from the
oil sector.

“It was the first time in 2016 that the Federal
Government shared more than N500 billion among
the three tiers of government,” he said.