The Federal Government has once again reiterated its commitment towards ensuring the release of Kidnapped Chibok schoo lgirls.Supervising Minister of Information ,Dr Nurudeen Mohammed gave this reassurance at a World Press Conference in Abuja.
“Government is unrelenting in ensuring that the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls are released and reunited with their families”,the minister said.
Mohammed noted that “terrorism perpetrated by Boko Haram was a source of negative attention to the country in 2014. The painful kidnap of the Chibok schoolgirls readily comes to mind.
Speaking further on the efforts to tackle terrorism, he said, “We must salute the gallantry of members of the Nigerian Armed Forces and personnel of Security and Intelligence Agencies, who are making sacrifices, so the rest of us may be safe. Government is unrelenting in ensuring that the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls are released and reunited with their families.
“As part of the measures to defeat terror, President Goodluck Jonathan has initiated actions at both bilateral and multilateral levels, within the sub-region and beyond, to ensure concerted focus to bring the spate of violence to an end. For instance, the war on terror is now firmly on the regional and continental agenda, with ECOWAS and the African Union adopting measures to combat terrorism. The United Nations has also declared Boko Haram a foreign terrorist organisation. Furthermore, the Multinational Joint Task Force, which became operational this year, as an outcome of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) Partnership, is actively involved in the fight against the insurgents.
“The Government wishes to reassure Nigerians that every effort towards ending the insurgency is being undertaken. There is renewed training and retraining towards enhancing the capacity of security services to combat the insurgents.
“In 2014, President Jonathan also introduced a number of specific measures to address the fallout of the insurgency in the three North-Eastern States of Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe, which are the worst-affected by Boko Haram activities. The measures include the Safe School Initiative, the Presidential Committee on Victims Support also known as “Nigeria Terrorism Victims Support Foundation,” and the Presidential Initiative for the North-East (PINE), whose responsibility is to plan, coordinate and raise funds for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of places ravaged by the insurgents.
Reviewing the administration’s performance in economic sector, he said “In the last quarter of 2014, oil prices have fallen drastically, well below the budget benchmark of $77.5 per barrel of crude. The uncertainty in the international oil market has necessitated a range of monetary policies by the Central Bank of Nigeria, and fiscal policies by the Federal Ministry of Finance. While there is concern, the country is not in panic. The managers of the economy are constantly monitoring developments that impact the economy, and kicking in contemplated measures under the various scenarios that are being plotted.
“However, there was a lot more positive about the Nigerian economy in 2014. The Government’s target was macro-economic stability, inclusive growth, more jobs, and an attraction for both foreign and domestic investors. Here are some of the milestones:
“Rebasing of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the first time in 24 years. So, in 2014, Nigeria became the largest economy in Africa, and 26th in the world.
“Rebasing showed that the economy is now more diversified, with the Services sector more dominant.
“Besides guiding policy-making, better tax administration, rebasing helps in the identification of, and investment in, sectors that drive job and wealth creation.
“Rebasing has made Nigeria a more attractive destination for foreign and domestic direct investments, as seen for instance in Dangote Group’s investment of US$9 Billion in Petrochemicals.
“The Sovereign Wealth Fund, which focuses on life after oil, is currently valued at US$ 1.55 billion.
“Inflation rate was 7.9% as at November 2014, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, compared with 12.4% in May 2011.
“Special intervention programmes are still running and creating job opportunities. YouWin! Programme has supported young Entrepreneurs and created nearly 27,000 jobs, while the Graduate Internship Scheme has engaged and deployed 9,621 interns.
“In 2013, about 1.2 million jobs were created; by the end of the second quarter of 2014, over 500,000 jobs had been created.
“As part of the special attention being paid to jobs, in September 2014, President Jonathan inaugurated the 31-Member Presidential Jobs Board of Nigeria. Headed by Vice President Namadi Sambo, the Board has Government Officials and Private Sector Members, all charged with facilitating employment generation.
“Boost for Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs). In August, this year, the Central Bank of Nigeria announced the take-off of its N220 Billion Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Development Fund.
“The N220 Billion Development Fund is designed to enhance access to finance by MSMEs, which will have a knock-on effect on entrepreneurship and job creation.
“The fund will provide wholesale financing windows for participating financial institutions, and improve their capacity to meet credit needs of MSMEs, at customer-friendly interest rates.
“Significantly, 60% of the MSME fund is meant to be allocated to women entrepreneurs.
“In addition to the foregoing, the clean-up of the banking sector has been well-handled. All banks are now fully capitalized.
“Whereas Non-Performing Loans stood at 36.5% in July 2010, by July 2014, they were 3.69%, well within the 5% prudential limit.
“Successful hosting of the World Economic Forum for Africa in Abuja (in spite of the terrorist acts that were deliberately aimed at discouraging attendance at the Forum).
“Vigorously pursuing Pension Reform with the enactment of an amendment to the principal Act, 10 years after it was first passed in 2004.
He recounted the successes of the regime in trade and investment,health ,agriculture and power sectors among others.
Answering questions from the audience, Mohammed said the delay inn payment of salaries to staff of some MDAs was neither deliberate nor dule to lack of funds.Rather ,the problem was occasioned by some logistics problems which he said had been sorted out and payments had commenced already, he said.
