‘Change is Coming’ – Lai Mohammed Tells Nigerians

The Minister of Infomation, Lai Mohammed has acknowledged that the government is aware of the fact that a lot of Nigerians are already second guessing the APC led administration that promised 'CHANGE'. He stated that the 2016 budget was drafted such that it would show Nigerians the economic direction of the government and its plans for them(the citizens.

He said this in response to questions about the economic policies of the Buhari-led administration while speaking on Sunday Politics on Channels Television. He explained that 40% of all expenditure in the budget has been dedicated to capital projects which are roads, power, railroads and other infrastructure.

On the Budget

"If you look at our budget for 2016, this is the first time in Nigeria that the government has gone for what I call an inclusive budget. This is where everybody is taken care of.

"Before now, you do not see this social inclusion in our budget. You have small pockets of alleviation of poverty here and there but for the first time the government is taking a bold step to set aside the sum of 500 billion Naira for social intervention," he said.

On the Need To Borrow

"There is no way, in the situation we have found ourselves, that we will not run a deficit budget. When your income is not enough to cover your expenditure, you borrow but what is important is what you do with the money you borrowed.

"Whatever money we borrow today is not going to be used for recurrent expenditure. It is going to be invested in railroads, roads, power, providing infrastructure for agriculture and solid minerals."

He declared that indeed the President would be negotiating a loan on his trip to China, adding emphatically that there is no apology for the decision.

He cited the introduction of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) as a move that has shored up the finances of the government. He said that the Buhari administration has also brought more discipline into government and has been "able to block so much leakages".

On the travails of Nigerians

"I have said it on many fora that the government is keenly aware of the hardship and difficulties Nigerians have gone through in the last couple of weeks and we do empathize with them.

"Not only do we empathize with them but we appreciate their perseverance and we have also been working round the clock to ensure that we are able to bring the situation back to normal," he said.

On measures to end the Fuel Scarcity

He said that the efforts have paid off as the fuel situation was gradually being normalized with cargoes of refined product being discharged in major cities across the country.

In addition, the Warri refinery, according to the Minister of Information has since been working and has 19 million litres of the product, helping to put the quantity of product in the reserve to 430 million litres.

"As from tomorrow we are going to deploy 1,300 trucks all over Nigeria to ensure that the fuel situation gets much better," he said, expressing confidence that this quantity being distributed daily would put an end to the fuel scarcity.

"We empathize with Nigerians, we salute their courage and perseverance and I want to assure them that the change they voted for is real, that change will come and that all the challenges we are facing today are very temporary."