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Tag: Lai Mohammed

  • Photo: Lai Mohammed, Amaechi inspect Lagos-Ibadan rail project

    Photo: Lai Mohammed, Amaechi inspect Lagos-Ibadan rail project

    The Ministers of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi have embarked on inspection tour of the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail projects.

    The Lagos-Ibadan rail project is the first double-track standard gauge modern railway in West Africa.

    The project, the second leg of the Lagos-Kano Railway Modernisation Project is being constructed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) an affiliate of China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC).

    The tracks for the 156km modern rail project has been completed while work on the routes and stations near completion.

    The inspection exercise commenced from the Ebute Metta station buildings and yards which is under construction.

    The duo were accompanied on the Ibadan inspection on a modern train on the rail line by a team of journalists.

    Lagos-Ibadan rail project

    The team also inspected the new Apapa dockyard station and bulk terminal at the Apapa port in Lagos.

    The Government is linking the Apapa and Tincan ports with the rail project as a permanent solution to the protracted gridlock cause by truckers parking on the roads and bridges in Apapa.

  • N5m Fine: FG explains what constitutes hate speech

    N5m Fine: FG explains what constitutes hate speech

    The Federal Government says “any speech, broadcast or publication that denigrates a person, a group of people on the basis of their sex, religion, political belief or origin is hate speech”.

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, gave the explanation on Thursday when he appeared on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum held at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.

    “Any broadcast or publication that tends to erode social cohesion that is an attack on our inclusion and common value is hate speech.

    “Those who go to television and denigrate one person or the other with a view to cause social disharmony have breached the hate speech code.

    “They know what they are doing and they must be made to pay for it,” the minister said while justifying the increase of hate speech fine from N500,000 to N5 million in the amended National Broadcasting Code.

    The minister said the fine was raised for national security and to serve as deterrent to those bent on destabilising the country through the use of fake news and hate speech.

    “No country is going to sit down and fold its arms and be destroyed by fake news or hate speech especially in Nigeria where we are divided along ethnicity, religion and culture.

    “In practice what we found was that when the fine for hate speech was just half a million, people were reckless because they could easily pay the half a million fine.

    “As a matter of fact, our findings shows that when people take advert to broadcast houses and the broadcast houses refused the advert on ground that if they air them they will be fined half a million Naira, the purveyor of hate speech will say, don’t worry, we will pay you N1 million extra.

    ‘With the N5 million we want to see whether they will add another N10 million to their advert rate.

    “For us, it is very practical and for those who said it is primitive, we disagree with them because we want to safe Nigeria from purveyors of hate speech,’ he said..

    Mohammed said that hate speech had a long history and government had been proactive in addressing the menace because of its potential threat to national security and cohesion.

    He recalled in 2017, that the ministry devoted an entire National Council of Information meeting to discuss the effect of fake news and hate speech.

    The minister said he equally launched national campaign against hate speech and fake news and embarked on advocacy visits to media houses across the country on its dangers.

    Speaking on the effects of hate speech, Mohammed said it led to genocide in Rwanda where over 800,000 lives were lost as well as the killings in Bosnia and Cambodia.

    “What we are doing in terms of sanction is minor when compared to what have been done in other countries like Iceland, Norway, UK, Germany and South Africa where hate speech is criminalised.

    “Hate speech attracts either fines or jail term or both in many countries, including the UK and South Africa,” he said.

    The minister added that the social media has aggravated the menace of hate speech and fake news and the government will not relent in its resolve to control the medium without stifling freedom of speech.

  • Why we increased hate speech fine to N5m – Lai Mohammed

    Why we increased hate speech fine to N5m – Lai Mohammed

    The Federal Government says it increased the fine for hate speech from N500,000 to N5 million in the ammended National Broadcasting Code to deter people who are willingly violating the provision to destabilise the country.
    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed gave the explanation on Friday when he featured on a TVC live Programme, “This Morning”” monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.

    NAN recalls that the minister in 2019 announced the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari for the increase of the fine which was later stipulated in the ammended Broadcasting Code.

    “What motivated the ammendment was that when the fine was N500,000 we saw the provision being violated at will because the amount was very easy to pay,” he said.

    The minister explained that some desperate people, who know that their broadcast content contains hate speech, will insist that the broadcast stations should air it while they bear the cost of the fine.

    The minister noted that those attacking the government over the increase, must remember that hate speech had destroyed many countries.

    He recalled that Rwandan lost 800,000 lives to hate speech while Bosnia and Cambodia equally lost thousands of lives to the menace.

    Mohammed said that Nigeria is not the only country to impose sanction on hate speech, adding that some nations have more stringent provisions.

    “Chad has today slow down the speed of its internet service to slow down the growth of hate speech.

    “Iceland has a provision in its penal code against hate speech and the punishment is up to five years in jail.

    “The sanction in Norway is up to two years imprisonment while South Africa separated hate speech from the protection their citizens can get from the constitution,” he said.

    The minister said that hate speech is not new but the social media and its wildfire capacity to spread information made it to be more problematic.

    He, therefore, reiterated the resolve of the government to regulate the social media without stifling the freedom of speech.

  • BBNaija: Lai Mohammed wants NBC to shutdown Big Brother Naija show

    BBNaija: Lai Mohammed wants NBC to shutdown Big Brother Naija show

    The Minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed has reportedly asked the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to stop airing Big Brother Naija (BBNaija).

    According to report published in an online news website, TheCable, the acting director-general of the NBC, Armstrong Idachaba, was quoted to have told senior management members that he had been directed by Lai Mohammed to shut down the BBNaija show due to possible spread of COVID-19 among inmates.

    The minister had reportedly sent a letter to NBC on July 1, 2020 before the BBNaija show began. His move to shut down the show is believed to be because of the general opinion that he is bent on sending MultiChoice Ltd, producers of the show, out of Nigeria.

    Mohammed is believed to have launched political moves against MultiChoice in order to pave the way for his main consultant to make a return to Pay TV after previously failing.

    The report claimed that the NBC management was not well disposed to the move to shut down BBNaija, with some of them saying there was no basis for it.

    A director was reportedly said to have reminded the meeting that NBC had already sought explanation from Multichoice on a possible violation of COVID-19 protocols with the airing of the show.

    MultiChoice replied with detailed explanations on measures taken in collaboration with the Lagos state government, whose agency, Lagos State Safety Commission, gave the green light for the show.

    Also, MultiChoice said in the letter that housemates had been screened prior to the show and that the BBN House had been decontaminated and adapted to ensure sufficient physical distancing, in addition to eliminating the use of live audience.

    All inmates went through a mandatory two-week isolation during which COVID-19 symptoms would have manifested if they had the disease.

    A second director is said to have told the meeting that participants of the show had maintained the safety protocols, notably generous use of hand sanitisers, since it started on Sunday.

    Idachaba, who is reportedly fighting to be confirmed as the substantive DG, was asked to request the minister for a written directive.

    However, the acting DG was said to have told the meeting that he would have no other option than to carry out Mohammed’s order — the same way he altered the broadcast code to please the minister despite public outcry.

  • BREAKING: FG pardons radio, TV stations on N7.8bn debt

    BREAKING: FG pardons radio, TV stations on N7.8bn debt

    As part of palliative measures against coronavirus, the Federal Government has offered 60 per cent debt forgiveness to defaulting radio and TV stations.

     

    The affected stations are indebted to the Federal Government to the tune of N7.8billion.

     

    All the stations have a three-month deadline to enjoy the debt pardon.

     

     

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alh. Lai Mohammed made the announcement at a briefing in Abuja in company of the Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Prof. Armstrong Idachaba.

     

    Mohammed said: “According to the National Commission (NBC), many

    Nigerian radio and television stations remain indebted to the Federal Government to the tune of N7.8billion Naira in total.

     

    ” Also, many of the stations are faced with the reality that their licenses will not be

    renewed, in view of their indebtedness.

     

    ” Against this background, the management of the NBC has therefore recommended, and the Federal Government has accepted, the following measures to revamp the Broadcast Industry and to help reposition it

    for the challenges of business, post-Covid-19:-

     

    ” a) – 60 percent debt forgiveness for all debtor broadcast stations in the country.

    ” b)◦ The criterion for enjoying the debt forgiveness is for debtor stations to pay 40 percent of their existing debt within the next three months

    “c) -Any station that is unable to pay the balance of 40 percent indebtedness within the 3 months window shall forfeit the opportunity

    to enjoy the stated debt forgiveness.”

    On palliatives for the print media, the Minister said “we are already discussing with the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN)

     

     

     

    Details shortly…

  • Why we called off strike – Resident doctors

    …FG carpets resident doctors, says strike needless

    The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) on Sunday suspended its indefinite strike which started on June 15, following a meeting between the association and Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) in Abuja.

    NARD President, Dr Aliyu Sokomba, who announced this while addressing a news conference in Abuja, said “NEC has resolved to suspend the ongoing indefinite strike with effect from Monday June 22, 2020 by 8a.m. prompt.

    “The national officers shall continue negotiations with stakeholders and progress made shall be reviewed in four weeks during the next National Executive Council meeting in July 2020.

    “The decision to suspend the strike was taken in order to give the Federal and State Governments time to fulfill the outstanding demands following an appeal by the Speaker of House of Representative, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chairman Nigeria Governors Forum and other stakeholder”.

    He acknowledged the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) in some hospitals but said there were still need for sustained supplies.

    The president also announced that the Medical Residency Training fund had been included in the revised 2020 budget through the intervention of Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila and would be implemented as soon as the budget was assented to by the President.

    He, however, gave the Federal Government four weeks to make good its promises.

    “At the same time, we await the fulfillment of the promise made by the Nigeria Governors Forum to ensure same is done in all the states.

    “On the salary shortfall for 2014-2016, The Secretary to the Government of the federation has promised to intervene.

    “Government has shown commitment to secure group life insurance for health workers. That the disengaged resident doctors at Jos University Teaching Hospital have been reinstated, the Chief Medical Director has been directed to pay their withheld salaries and comply with the provisions of the Medical Residency.

    “On State Tertiary Health Institutions (STHIs), the Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum Gov. Kayode Fayemi and the Director General Mr Asishana Okauru, appealed to be given time to discuss with other state Governors of Kogi, Gombe, Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ondo, kaduna, Nasarawa , Enugu, Anabara, Abia and Imo for immediate pay parity with the corrected CONMESS of 2019 and that salary shortfalls due our members will be paid shortly.

    “NARD also met with Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo state who also gave his words to favourably look into all challenges of our members in LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso with a view to abiding by the international standard.

    “That the Executive Governors of Delta and Benue from reports by our members have been supportive although more needs to be done.

    “NEC observed that COVID-19 inducement allowance has only been paid to 11 federal health institutions and most state governments are yet to review the hazard allowance of health workers,” he said.

    FG carpets Resident Doctors, says strike needless

    Meanwhile, the federal government has said the strike by the NARD was “needless and insensitive” because issues raised by the association had received attention.

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed made this known at a media briefing on Sunday in Abuja.

    The briefing was jointly addressed by Mohammed and Ministers of Health,Mr Osagie Ehanire, Labour and Employment, Mr Chris Ngige.

    Mohammed noted that the strike embarked upon by the Doctors since June 12 was uncalled for, considering the facts the government had responded to their needs and requests.

    “It is pertinent to say that the issues raised by the association while issuing its ultimatum on June 1, have received or are receiving full attention,” he said

    Specifically, the minister said that Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) have been supplied to all States and Federal Tertiary Hospitals and funds for the same were being provided in the revised 2020 budget.

    He said the implementation of the Residency Training programme was backed by the National Assembly, which provided ₦4 billion in the revised 2020 budget.

    “We have paid N9 billion as premium for Group Life Insurance to all our health workers and over N4.6 billion as Special Hazard Allowance to health workers as already acknowledged in at least 35 hospitals.

    “In summary, a total of 55,031 health workers have been paid comprising of 23 COVID-19 designated Hospitals and Medical Centres and 8 non-COVID-19 designated centres amounting to over N7.9 billion,” he said

    He added that other matters relating to non-payment of arrears dating back as 2014 or salaries owed by State Governments, were either in court, or beyond the power of the Federal Ministry of Health to resolve.

    On addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, the minister said apart from the provision of PPEs and other equipment, the federal government expanded testing laboratories from two to 38.

    He said government have trained over 13,000 health workers on Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) as well as developed policy and protocols for testing returning Nigerians.

    Mohammed said government has evolved policies and protocols for integration of primary healthcare into national response and increased isolation centre bed space from 3,000 to more than 5,000 nationwide.

    The minister expressed concerns that the doctors still opted for the strike ins pite of addressing all issues raised and negotiations facilitated by the National Assembly.

    “We must express the government’s consternation that resident doctors will choose a time like this, when we are battling a pandemic, to embark on a strike.

    “This negates what obtains in other parts of the world, where health workers are rallying around their governments to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “Nigeria must be among, if not the only nation, where doctors – who are classified as essential workers – have opted for a strike during a national health emergency,” he said

    Mohammed noted that, though many options were opened to the federal government in tackling the strike, yet it chose negotiation over confrontation.

    On his part, Ngige said it was a dire time for any sector, particularly the heath sector to embark on strike.

    He re-echoed that all issues raised by the Doctors had been met by the Government and they should have trust in the Federal Ministry of Health.

    The minister disclosed that the leadership of NARD contacted him by midnight and hinted on the suspension of the strike.

    Speaking in the same vein, Ehanire said it was not time for acrimony and all hands must be on deck for the country to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic and salvage the health sector.

  • Majek Fashek’s death, a huge loss to creative industry – Lai Mohammed

    Majek Fashek’s death, a huge loss to creative industry – Lai Mohammed

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has described the death of late international reggae star Majekodunmi Fasheke, popularly called Majek Fashek as a huge loss to the Creative Industry.
    In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister said Majek Fashek’s death came at a time the creative industry has taken a hit from the effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
    The statement was made available to newsmen by Mr Segun Adeyemi, Special Assistant to the President (Media), Office of Tlthe Minister of Information and Culture
    In the statement, the minister said Majek Fashek was an archetypal musician, who blazed the trail not just as a singer but also a song writer and a guitarist.

     

    ‘He blazed the trail not only for today’s reggae artists but for the entire generation of musicians in the country.

     

    ”Makej Fashek will particularly be remembered for his groundbreaking album, ‘Prisoner of Conscience’, which featured timeless songs like ‘Send Down The Rain’, ‘Redemption Song’ and ‘Afrikans Keep Your Culture”

    ” Long after his demise, Majek Fashek’s voice will continue to echo across space and time, thanks to those iconic songs,” he said.

     

    The minister expressed condolences to the family, friends and fans of the late musician, as well as to the entire creative industry, and prayed to God to grant repose to his soul and comfort his family.

     

    ”One of the best tributes we can pay to Majek Fashek is to do everything we can to ensure the rebound of the Industry, to which he gave so much, from its present state, occasioned by the effects of the pandemic,” he said.

  • COVID-19: Ali Baba hails Buhari’s govt, speaks on brain behind creative industry committee

    COVID-19: Ali Baba hails Buhari’s govt, speaks on brain behind creative industry committee

    Chairman of the newly set up post-Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) committee for the creative industry, Mr. Ali Baba has expressed appreciation to the President Muhammadu Buhari government.

    Ali Baba expressed his appreciation following the inauguration of the post-Covid-19 committee for the creative industry by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed on Tuesday.

    Speaking on why the committee was set up, Ali Baba said there was a need to know who is who in the creative industry and what each person is contributing to the industry as a whole, including how each of those services had been interrupted.

    “Thank you all for responding to the call by the #CreativeIndustryCommittee. The platform for the questionnaires has now closed. The interesting thing we found out, is that many people don’t like to share what will benefit others.

    “So, you are a Deejay, you filled as an individual, you know many other Deejays like you, but refuse to tell them to go do the same. But you will share with them jokes, videos, Instagram reposts… etc at the drop of a hat.

    “The Committee was set up because of the need to know who is who in the creative industry and what each person is contributing to the industry as a whole. Including how each of those services had been interrupted.

    “The other purpose of the mandate is also to enable us suggest to government how they can support the sector in the new way of going about its business, post COVID-19.

    “Many of the sub sectors, which form the whole industry, depend on each other to harness the economic value of all players. It’s an Ecosystem of connected chains, linked by services, platforms, creativity and value propositions, feeding off one another.

    “Musicians depend on radio and television to give them airtime. The broadcasters cannot use generator sound to entertain listeners. And no advertiser will come if they do not see your listeners and viewers.

    “Your journalists, photographers, reporters, presenters, keep your media empire alive. Writers need printers and publishers. Proofreaders and editors need writers to be in business.

    “What would gallery owners display if not creative works of artists? The artists also need the Galleries to showcase their works. Who covers events? Photographers and videographers. Journalists report the event.

    “Yet, Event planners will tell you they are the most important sector in the ecosystem and as such, they are the most hit by the pandemic. True that they have been hit. But the broadcast industry, has been hit, and they are still on air.

    “The creative industry is closely knitted together. That is why a holistic approach has to be employed, to curate the Covid-19 damage to all the sectors. We are still working to cover all. It’s less than 2 weeks to go,” Ali Baba stated.

    TNG reports Lai Mohammed inaugurated the post-Covid-19 committee for the creative industry on Tuesday with a call on all members of the industry to support the committee in the interest of the industry.

    “The Committee’s membership, as announced two weeks ago, has now been expanded to include as many sectors as possible. This is to ensure a fair representation.

    ”However, while the committee cannot accommodate all members of the

    industry, it is certain that all members will benefit from its work.

    “I therefore want to implore the entire industry to support this committee. This is no time for division. All hands must be on deck so the industry can rebound,” the Minister said while inaugurating the committee.

    Lai Mohammed described the creative industry as a very critical sector of the nation’s economy and a major plank of the economic diversification policy of this administration.

    He said that in view of the devastating impact of COVID-19 on the creative industry, it has become imperative to have a collective and government-supported approach in dealing with the immediate, short and long term economic stimulus and initiatives for the industry, in order to mitigate the effect of the pandemic on the sector.

    “Two weeks ago, I announced the establishment of this committee. In doing so, I said the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted negatively on the nation, and that the Creative Industry has been particularly hard hit, considering the fact that it is an industry that has people-interaction at its core. I also said that instead of addressing

    these problems piecemeal, we should do so holistically for a more positive outcome,” the Minister said.

    While commending members of the Committee for their sacrifice and love of country, he urged them to do justice to the assignment, which will culminate in suitable recommendations that will help the industry to thrive and expand.

    The committee’s terms of reference are: assess the expected impact of the pandemic on the industry in general; advise the government on how to mitigate job and revenue losses in the sector as well as to create succour for the industry small businesses; suggest the type of taxation and financing that is best for the industry at this time to encourage growth and advise the government on any other measure or measures that can be undertaken to support the industry.

    Members of the Committee are:

    1. Ali Baba – Comedy, Film and TV (Chairman)

    2. Hajia Sa’a Ibrahim – Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria

    (BON) – Vice Chairman

    3. Bolanle Austen Peters – Film and Performing Arts

    4. Charles Novia – Television and Independent Producer

    5. Segun Arinze- Actor and Producer

    6. Ali Jita – Actor and Musician

    7. Baba Agba – Film Director

    8. Kene Okwuosa – Cinema and Distribution

    9. Efe Omoregbe – Record label and Collective rights management

    10. Prince Daniel Aboki – Radio and Film

    11. Chioma Ude – Streaming

    12. Olumade Adesemowo – Television and Platform (FreeTV)

    13. Dare Art Alade – Livespot Entertainment

    14. Oliver Enwonwu – President, Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA),

    15. Alhaji Saleh Rabo – President, Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria

    16. Bala Hassan – Booksellers Association

    17 Ali Nuhu – Kannywood

    18 Tajudeen Owoyemi – Hotels

    19. B.M. Dzukogi – Association of Nigerian Authors

    20. TY Bello – Photography

    21. Lanre Da Silva Ajayi – Fashion

    22. Anita Eboigbe – Secretary

  • 99 per cent of Nigerians aware of COVID-19, preventive measures – Lai Mohammed

    99 per cent of Nigerians aware of COVID-19, preventive measures – Lai Mohammed

    Ninety-Nine per cent of Nigerians are aware of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed said on Monday.

    The minister, who quoted a latest poll on the pandemic, also said 91 per cent of the population has knowledge of the preventive measures.

    He spoke during the daily briefing of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 Control in Abuja.

    According to the latest NOI Poll on Covid-19, which was conducted this month, “the level of awareness across the country about Covid-19 is now above 99 per cent, meaning nearly all Nigerians are aware of the disease.

    “Whereas 28 per cent of respondents said they believe they are immune to Covid-19 in March, the figure has now dropped to 26per cent.

    “Ninety-one of respondents said they are aware of the different preventive measures. Hand washing is now at 87per cent, up by 10 per cent; use of face masks is at 85 per cent, up by 22 per cent and social distancing is at 55 per cent, up by 43 per cent. The poll however, stated that stigmatisation remains a concern as 81 per cent said this has remained a concern. In the March poll, 78 per cent said they are not willing to work with people who recover from the virus.

    “Eighty-one per cent said they are willing to work with people who recover from COVID-19.

    That figure dropped to 78 per cent in the current poll. Fifty-seven per cent support the easing of the lock down announced in April, while 29 per cent did not support it. Ninety-five per cent said they have seen or heard advertising, publicity or any other types of information from government about COVID-19.

    “Seventy-one per cent said they feel they are getting the information they need from government on COVID-19.” The minister said the last poll was conducted in March.

  • Families can’t claim ‘COVID-19 corpses’ for burial – Lai Mohammed

    Families can’t claim ‘COVID-19 corpses’ for burial – Lai Mohammed

    The Minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed, says corpses of persons who tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) cannot be claimed for burial.

    He said such corpses would be handled by the ministry of health because they are contagious.

    He said this while speaking at a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) forum in Abuja to give an update on the activities of the presidential task force on COVID-19.

    According to NAN, the minister commended Nigerians for complying with the federal government’s stay-at-home directive, adding that it would boost the efforts of stakeholders in the fight to curb the spread of coronavirus.

    “Coronavirus is very dangerous and contagious; there is no medicine for it yet and it is not just capable of killing, overwhelming healthcare system, it will destroy the economy. In some countries, they are putting dead bodies in big refrigerators, because the morgues have filled up. Nigerians should not forget that these are not the type of corpses that can be claimed for burial because it must be handled by the ministry of health,” he said.

    He called for the cooperation of citizens and asked them to “stay safe, obey simple instructions of basic hygiene and social distancing,” adding that “in a few weeks, we will resume our normal life”.

    So far, Nigeria has 190 cases of COVID-19. Of that figure, 20 persons have recovered and have been discharged from hospital.