Minister says change is "already here"

dimeji akinloye

August 1, 2016 7:22 PM

According to Mohammed, part of the change is the prosecution of treasury looters and the entrenchment in public service.

Minister of Information Lai Mohammed briefs the media on the town of Bama liberated from Boko Haram, during a news conference in Abuja, Nigeria December 8, 2015. REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has said that the change promised by President

While acknowledging the submissions of Nigerians that the present administration has failed on its promise to transform Nigeria, Mohammed said the change is real.

He stated this on Monday, August 1 at a town hall meeting in Enugu State.

According to the minister, part of the change is the prosecution of treasury looters and the entrenchment 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,” Mohammed said.

“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.”

On the diversification of the economy, Mohammed said that 70 percent of the N500 billion realised from the federal accounts allocation committee came from the non-oil sector.

He said: “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."

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Mohammed stressed that the month of June was the first time this year that the Federal Government shared more than N500 billion among the three tiers of government.

dimeji akinloye