Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, has said that Nigerians will soon be able to monitor and track the implementation of federal government projects.
He stated this during a parley with senior media editors and executives on Monday in Abuja.
The minister, while speaking on the recently concluded retreat for ministers and other senior government officials, said it was aimed at showcasing and fine-tuning strategies for achieving the overall objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He said: “The President directed that cutting-edge digital technology be deployed to empower Nigerians to monitor and track in real-time the implementation of Federal Government projects across the country; to this end, the Presidential Delivery Tracker was reactivated.”
Idris urged the media to support this move by being objective, factual, and balanced, explaining that the government is taking all necessary steps to ensure that honest, credible, and timely information is put out for the benefit of Nigerians.
He added that the Tinubu administration will continue to provide the right atmosphere for the media to operate, and he called on media operators to reciprocate the gesture by carrying out their function with a high sense of responsibility.
He said: “Report what is accurate and leave what is in doubt; don’t report what is not factual; this country is ours and it is for all of us to build, and we all know that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a democrat, and he is willing to provide you with all the information you so require. Let’s focus on those things that are important for our development as a nation and leave out fake news, disinformation, and all those things that create chaos.”
While highlighting the success made by the security agencies, the minister called on the media to support the effort of the government by giving adequate reportage to the gains made by the security agencies in the fight against insurgency.
He added that the government is dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of all her citizens and visitors and has invested heavily in the training and re-training of her security personnel, the acquisition of arms and ammunition needed for the prosecution of the fight against insecurity, as well as deploying the right intelligence to neutralize plans by insurgent groups.
“The bandits, terrorists, kidnappers, pirates, etc are waging not only a physical battle but also a psychological one, trying to undermine our faith and confidence in our security agencies; as media leaders, we must be very careful not to play into their hands through reporting what might be misleading, sensational, or that undermines the morale of our security personnel,” he said.
Idris also appealed to foreign nationals not to overheat the system through the issuing of unnecessary travel advisories that are capable of raising false security alarms in the country, which discourage investors and lead to adverse effects on the economy.
The minister said the government is taking all necessary measures to alleviate the pains of oil subsidy reduction and cushion its impact on Nigerians, adding that with the passage of the supplementary budget of N2.17 trillion by the National Assembly, the liquidity needed for critical interventions would be available to reflate the economy.
He hinted that the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation is working on implementing a sustained mass reorientation campaign that aims to foster unity, patriotism, and positive cultural values among Nigerians.
At the event were senior presidential media aides, Heads of the Ministry’s parastatals, and senior editors and bureau chiefs from across the print and electronic media.
