Social media giant, Facebook is set to partner with the Federal Government to check the menace of fake news as the 2019 general elections fast draw near.
TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, made this known on Tuesday, saying that the National Campaign Against Fake News has received a boost by the development.
He said the national campaign, which was launched on 11th July 2018, has succeeded in bringing the phenomenon to the front burner of national discourse.
“We are not under any illusion that our campaign will immediately end the menace of fake news. But we know that by creating national awareness, we are putting the issue of fake news on the front burner.
“Fake news is now a subject of national discourse, workshops and conferences. In the coming days, the social networking web platform, Facebook, will be meeting with us and other top policy makers across the country in the days ahead to see how to assist us in fighting fake news.
“That, to us, is a major step forward, and we thank all our partners, and indeed all Nigerians, for this achievement,” Alhaji Mohammed said.
The Minister, who described fake news as a global phenomenon, said different countries are adopting various measures to tackle the menace.
He said Nigeria has decided to appeal to the sense of responsibility of media practitioners, bloggers and Social Media Influencers, instead of engaging in coercion or censorship.
Mohammed said if left unchecked, fake news has the capacity to disrupt the peace and unity of the country and it’s also a clear and present danger to the nation’s democracy.
“For example, the fake news phenomenon played out during the recent governorship elections in Osun State.
“Whereas 16 PDP members were arrested for various offences, including impersonating observers and for violence during the rerun, the purveyors of fake news made it look as if the APC was the perpetrators of these crimes.
He said the campaign against fake news could not have come at a better time, considering that the 2019 general elections are fast approaching and enemies of democracy will latch on to it to wreak havoc.
Tag: Lai Mohammed
-
FG releases list of 69 ongoing road, bridge projects in South-east
The Federal Government on Monday released a list of the 69 ongoing road and bridge projects in the South-east region of the country.
In a statement in Abuja on Monday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said though the contracts for many of the roads were awarded before the advent of this Administration, they were either poorly funded or not funded at all, hence work on the roads has lingered.
The Minister said the 69 roads and bridges, which are spread across the five states in the South-east, are now in different stages of completion, thanks to the funding sourced by the present Administration from budgetary allocations, the Sukuk Bond and the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund.
He said the government is also looking into the possibility of using a part of the recovered looted funds to fund the development of infrastructure across the country.
While announcing the projects, which include the rehabilitation of the existing Niger Bridge as well as the construction of the 2nd Niger Bridge last week, Alhaji Mohammed promised to publish the full list of the roads and bridges, as well as give a state-by-state breakdown of the total figure.
-
Lai Mohammed turns comedian at wedding reception
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed got guests at a wedding reception, on Saturday in Ilorin roaring with laughter following his jocoserious remarks.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the minister was the Chairman at the reception of the wedding of Tolulope Ajibola and Kolapo Faleye, both petroleum engineers.
Tolulope is the daughter Chief Simon Ajibola, a former Senator who represented Kwara South in the National Assembly while the groom’s father is Mr. Olufemi Faleye also from Kwara.
Addressing the couple and guests, the minister said,: “I am so delighted to be invited to be the chairman of this wedding ceremony because wedding ceremony is a thing of joy.
“I pray that happiness will not cease from our homes.
Mohammed, though a staunch Muslim, quoted from the Holy Bible to the admiration of guests.
Speaking extempore, he said: “I will start my address by referring us to the Book of Isaiah chapter 4, verse 1 which says:
“The time shall come when seven women shall take hold of one man and say food, shelter we shall provide, please let us bear your name to save us this disgrace.
“So, I rejoice with Pelumi that God has given you, your own husband. I pray your union shall be fruitful and enduring.
“To the groom, I want to refer you to the Book of Deuteronomy 24:5 which says: When a man weds, he shall not be called upon to go to war or work. He shall stay in the house with the wife for one full year.
“I am going to speak with Mr. Faleye to allow you to stay for one year so that you can do your duty.
Not done with the amused guests, the minister dropped his last advice which threw the audience in the hall into uncontrollable laughter.
“I am going to end my address by giving you a valuable advice. By the Grace of God, Pelumi will be fruitful and give birth to male and female children.
“I am giving you this advice based on 38 years of experience in marriage with my wife, here, pointing to Alhaja Kudirat, sitting by his side.
“Whenever, Pelumi takes in and you want to know whether the baby will be a boy or a girl, you need not go to any hospital or do any scanning.
“Follow my example which had worked and never failed.
“When the pregnancy is eight months old, take a brand new N1000 note, put it in the navel of Pelumi. If the baby moves, it is a girl. If it does not move, it is a boy. Don’t ask me why.”
NAN reports that the minister earlier attended the marriage solemnisation at the Month Olives Anglican Church, Tanke, Ilorin.
In a sermon, the Vicar, Rotimi Omotoye said marriage is honourable and enjoyable. He enjoined the couple to build their union with the fear of God, love, trust and endurance.
Speaking to the congregation, comprising politicians, the clergy admonished those in authority to render selfless service to the people and shun unreasonable acquisition of wealth and material things.
He also charged the government of the day to do more in improving security, peaceful co-existence as well as alleviating poverty and improving the living standard of the citizens.
Reacting to the exhortation by the priest in an interview, the Information minister said President Muhammadu Buhari is on the right path.
Mohammed said: “The pastor said that government should aim at alleviating poverty, improving the lives of the citizens. If these are the yardsticks for good governance, I think we have passed.
“I can make bold to say that government that feeds 8,500,000 pupils everyday is a government that is benefitting the people.
“A government that provides infrastructure such as rail, roads, bridges, power and water is a government that is reaching out to people and touching lives.
“I came out of that service more convinced that this government is on the right path because all our programmes are meant not for a few individuals but for the public.
The minister reiterated that the administration was on the right track and everything is being done for the benefit of Nigerians as a whole and not for few Nigerians.
-
Our mandate is to develop infrastructure, not share money – Lai Mohammed
The Minister of Information and Cultire, Alhaji Lai Mohammed says the promise of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to Nigerians is to develop infrastructure that will uplift living standard but not to share money.
The minister said this in Tatabu village, near Mokwa in Niger state while inspecting the reconstructed and rehabilitated Ilorin-Jebba- Mokwa road project.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 93.6 km road project, now completed, included the total reconstruction of Ilorin to Jebba axis and rehabilitation of failed portions from Jebba to Mokwa.
NAN also reports that the Ilorin-Jebba road is part of the Lagos- Algiers road called Trans Sahara roads which cut across West and North Africa.
In Nigeria, the road connects the South-West geo-geographical zone to the Northern part of the country.
Addressing newsmen who accompanied him on the inspection, the minister said that the government was aware of complaints of no money by many Nigerians.
He said the administration preferred to invest in infrastructure that would have ripple effects on the economy than sharing money to people and political stooges like the previous administration did.
“Yes, people are complaining of no money and high cost of living, but I want to tell you that it would have been worse today but for the massive infrastructure development this government is investing on.
“When people make these complaints, they easily forget that for 16 years, one political party was in power, sharing money when this road became completely failed.
“APC in three years has fixed this road to this level. I think it speaks for itself.
“Before now, it takes about five days for trucks to move from Ilorin to Jebba. Today, it takes only two hours.
“Today on this road, you can see free movement of goods and services which is the beginning of revival of the economy,’’ he said.
According to him, we are not a government that will share money like what others did which put the country in a mess.
“This government believes in investing in infrastructure because if you get this right, it will translate to wealth creation.
“Let us take for instance, if this road contract costs N10 billion and we share it to political stooges in this area at N1 million each, we will only give 1,000 people and there will be no road.
“At the long run those that we share the money to will join in abusing the government of non performance.
“On our part, we will rather slowly and painstakingly revive our economy through infrastructure development and we have a lot of stories to tell on this.’’
According to Mohammed, Nigerians should thank God that they have an administration that is focussed and investing in infrastructure.
He said the government would not be distracted but remained focused in the development of infrastructure to better the lives of the people.
The minister recalled that the road project was awarded by the previous administration in 2013 and work was supposed to have commenced in 2014.
He said when the Buhari administration came in to power, the project was only 15 per cent completed.
Asked whether government would toll the road to raise money for its completion to Birnin-Gwari in Kaduna and for its dualisation, Mohammed said, not all roads could be tolled.
“This matter came up at the last Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting and we agreed that not all roads could be tolled.
“The idea of tolling roads is to recoup the expenses on the construction and make them sustainable.
“A study is being compiled and at the end of it, it will be decided on what roads to toll and which not,’’ he said.
Earlier, Mr Atitebi Wasiu, who conducted the minister and his entourage on the inspection said the substantial part of the heavy traffic on the road was caused by heavily loaded trucks due to the import and export of goods through Lagos port.
Wasiu, the Federal Controller of Works, Kwara, said the average daily traffic for trucks only on the road was about 7,500 while light vehicles accounted for about 7000.
He said most of the vehicles abandoned the road before the rehabilitation took place.
“The road which was constructed since over 30 years ago was abandoned by motorists for not less than 10 years due to its complete collapse.
“Those trucks which had no alternative were spending three to five days to transit this 93,6km road from Ilorin to Jebba before the eventual intervention of the Federal Government,” he said.
The engineer said the quality of the project carried out by Messrs CGC Nig. Ltd was of international standard and the life span was 20 years.
He also disclosed that the contract for the dualisation of the road had been awarded and work would commence in the next three weeks.
“The dualisation is awarded to the same contractor from Ilorin-Jebba-Mokwa at the total contract sum of N130 billion.
“The Kwara state section of the dualisation is awarded at N80 billion, while the Niger state section is about N50 billion,” he said.
NAN
-
2019: Mission to rescue Kwara from Saraki’s grip won’t come easy – Buhari’s minister
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, says his mission as new All Progressives Congress (APC) leader in Kwara State is not to contest any elective position in 2019 but to rescue the state from hawks.
The minister, who disclosed this on Thursday in Ilorin, the state capital at a meeting of Congress of Kwara Progressives, underscored the need to take the state from those who had milked it dry.
He said the recent defection from APC by the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, and his followers had presented auspicious opportunity for the people to liberate the state from those who had held it to ransom.
“What an auspicious time for all of us! Never before, have we had a great opportunity like we have now to take our state back from the rapacious few, who have held the state by the jugular and prevented it from meeting the hopes and aspirations of its people.
“From my consultations with key stakeholders so far, I can say, categorically, that Kwarans have all resolved to take their destiny into their own hands and take back what rightly belongs to them.
“This is unprecedented in the history of our state, and we must not waste this opportunity.
“On my own part, I can say here, without equivocating, that I won’t be running for any office during the forthcoming elections.
“For me, it is not about any clamour for office. It is about working with all like minds for the greater benefit of our people,” he said.
The minister underscored the need for the people to be united and shelve their personal ambition to rescue the state.
“I can tell you that if we all remain united, we can’t and we won’t lose the looming battle for the survival of our dear state.
“All that is required is for us all to subordinate our individual ambitions to the collective efforts to wrest our state from the hegemony of one man and his cohorts,” he said.
The minister called the attention of the people to the fact that the battle ahead would be tough because “one with power will ever give it up easily”.
Mohammed, however, encouraged them that “the power of the people supersedes all powers” and the mission to rescue Kwara from grinding poverty and make it a better place for all, is achievable.
“The fightback has already begun, in the form of blackmail and fake news.
“They say I do not like Ilorin people. But what they do not know is that no amount of cheap blackmail will deter us.
“The people of Ilorin should know who their friends are. I do not hate the good people of Ilorin,” he said
To justify his claim, the minister recalled that in 2011, he supported, on his platform, an indigene of Ilorin to run for the governorship of the state.
“Even when my kinsmen were not happy with my decision, I was undeterred.
“Even when the PDP sponsored someone from my own constituency, I insisted on the Ilorin candidate as a matter of principle, upon the conviction that that was what we needed to do at the time to effect the necessary change,” he said.
Mohammed also recalled that as a minister, he was instrumental to the appointment of an Ilorin man, Modibbo Kawu, as the Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
“In a related development, when Prof. Raheem Oba, an Ilorin man, sought a second term at the Federal Character Commission, we know those who worked against him.
“They will do this and many more acts of blackmail to divide us, to drive a wedge between us. Don’t let us succumb to their antics,’ he said.
The minister reassured the people that in the new dispensation, every person in Kwara would have a voice and the resources of the state would be used for the development of the state and its people.
“Never again will our people be turned to panhandlers, never again will our people be made to eat crumbs from the master’s table.
“We must become the masters of our own destiny,” he said.
Earlier, Ayodele Shittu, the convener of the meeting and a former Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly said the people of Kwara were tired of the Saraki’s political leadership and yearning for change.
He reiterated the commitment of the stakeholders to support the new leadership of Mohammed and rescue the state from bondage.
The meeting was attended by Iyiola Oyedepo, the state’s APC Caretaker Chairman, Bashir Bolarinwa, Labour Party Chairman, Mumuni Onagu, former Nigerian Bar Association Chairman in the state, Salman Jawando, among others.
-
FG defends $823m Abuja light rail project
The Federal Government on Thursday said that the 823 million dollars spent on 45.245 km Abuja light rail mass transit, inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari on July 22, was justifiable.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed who took journalists on a tour of the rail project in Abuja, said contrary to misconception by critics, the project was beyond the laying of tracks.
“A particular media outlet reported that this project is indefensible and it is on the high side.
“What they did was to simply look at the number of kilometres of the light rail and divide it by the fund involved, but that is a too simplistic approach.
“Yes, there are 45 kilometres rail track, but there are 13 bridges,with each bridge made up of 528 beams.
“One beam alone is 32 tons which is more than one trailer load of cement. Meaning that for a bridge, you need more than 528, about 600 trailers load of cement.
“You do not do an arithmetic that does not take into consideration the other infrastructure supports that make it work.
The minister said that the project was made up of infrastructure, including 12 railway stations built with first class facilities.
He said the projects also include 13 railway bridges, adding that trains would pass above while cars pass under the roadway and 16 flyovers,where trains pass under and cars pass above.
Mohammed said there were also nine pedestrian bridges for human and motor cycle, six dry culverts for cattle and other animals to cross over the railway lines.
According to him, the project also include the railway stock depot with 21 buildings, including the operation control centre, offices, training centre and accommodation facilities.
He said the depot also consisted of maintenance parking bays that could accommodate 50 coaches, washing bay and spray workshop.
The minister said no fewer than 10,000 Nigerians were employed during the construction of the rail project while 100,000 people would be directly or indirectly employed when the project begins full operation.
He said the Buharu-led administration was building a legacy of enduring infrastructure for posterity.
Mohammed expressed the confidence that Nigeria possessed the required technical competence to manage the Light Rail Project and turn it into a huge success.
The Secretary of Transportation in the FCTA, Mr Kayode Opeifa, said the present administration inherited the Abuja Light Project at 53 per cent
completion stage and delivered the project within 18 months.He said the project was the first integrated mode of transportation in Africa connecting the railways and the airport in order to ensure seamless movement of passengers.
Opeifa said a desk would be assigned to the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture at the Airport station to showcase the nation’s rich cultural heritage and tourism attraction
The Chief Resident Engineer for the Abuja Light Rail Project, Mr Anthony Agbakoba, said the project was on a test run with three coaches.
He said contract for the construction and supply of 48 additional coaches had been awarded while the coaches were expected to be delivered in batches.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports during the tour, some passengers on free ride in the train to the airport terminal commended the government for the project.
-
Lai’s daughter unveils fabrics in Lagos, as FG commits to diversification of economy
The Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Hajiya Aisha Abubakar, says the Federal Government is committed to the diversification of the economy to improve revenue and save foreign exchange.
Abubakar made the remarks at a Lagos unveiling of Adire (tying & dying) fabrics by a fashion designer, Mrs Yejide Laguda, the daughter of the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
“For a very long time, we’ve been looking for ways to make our fabrics for everyone, not just for a particular group.
“You’ve also done well for linking the brand to our heroines who have actually done great things in the past.
“I think, whenever we wear her clothes, we want to be a part of those women and I want to congratulate Yeside on today’s event. I wish more of such efforts and we are ready to support you any day any time,’’ Aisha said.
The minister, therefore, called on Nigerians to patronise local fabrics not only for their aesthetic value but also for the need to grow the economy.
She commended Laguda for the initiative, saying her creative spirit aligned with government’s calls to promote Nigerian products
Aisha said she was personally motivated by Yeside’s designs, describing it as “the diversification thing that really gets me and I am so excited.
Also speaking, the Deputy Governor of Ogun, Mrs Yetunde Onanuga, said she was particularly moved that Laguda was showcasing Adire which her state is known for.
Onanuga said she was proud of Laguda’s brand and that the state would support her to promote the Adire fabric.
“Indeed, Adire is now a trademark, as we have given it a name, which is called “Adire Ogun”.
“We congratulate our dear sister, Yeside Laguda, on this initiative for promoting our country, for bringing our local fabric to the limelight.
“And I’m sure before now, we’ve been seeing people ordering Adire from Ogun State to other countries.
“Now that you are promoting it (Adire), we know that more people will want to have it, even with the way you are now presenting it,’’ she said.
Onanuga also said she was proud of Laguda’ brand and that the state would support her to promote the fabric.
-
Fayemi’s victory in Ekiti shows Nigerians love APC/Buhari-led government – Lai Mohammed
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has described the victory of the All Progressives Congress candidate, Dr Kayode Fayemi, in Saturday’s governorship election in Ekiti State, as an indication that Nigerians will accept President Muhammadu Buhari during next year’s presidential election.
The minister, who spoke with journalists in Lagos on Sunday, hailed the Ekiti electorate for their peaceful conduct during the election.
Mohammed said, “With the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the just-concluded Ekiti governorship election, Nigerian people have spoken, and they have spoken loudly, about their perception of the APC-led Buhari Administration. The election was more than one state’s gubernatorial poll.
It was a referendum on the performance of the Buhari Administration. And Nigerians have given their verdict! It’s not just a defeat for the PDP, it’s a defeat for all the naysayers who have made themselves the spokespersons for Nigerians.
Furthermore, it is a death knell for fake news! Anyone who monitored the social media before and during the election would think it would be a landslide for the PDP. But the reality is different. We want to most sincerely thank the people of Ekiti State for ensuring that the election was free, fair and credible, as attested to by local and international observers, and for turning out en masse to exercise their franchise.
“In 2014, the votes of the people of Ekiti did not count as the then PDP-led Federal Government used federal might to hijack the election and concoct the result.
They barred two serving Governors from travelling to Ekiti to support their fellow Governor. They wilfully shut the Akure airport and we, leaders of then opposition APC, were forced to return to Lagos by road in the night. With the roles reversed in 2018, we did not pay the PDP back in its own coin, because of our strong belief in the rule of law. The rest is history.”
-
We won’t gag Nigerian media over dissemination of fake news – FG
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has assured Nigerians there would be no censorship or coercion of any media organisation in the government’s fight against fake news and hate speech.
Mr Mohammed gave the assurance when he featured on the NTA flagship programme: ‘ Good Morning Nigeria’ entitled, “Combating Damages of Fake News in Nigeria,” monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Friday in Abuja.
He said the fight against fake news was a global trend with many technology companies like Google, Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp also involved in the fight globally.
The minister added that the existing law would be strengthened and enforced to stem the tide of fake news and hate speech, adding that the law would be allowed to take its course.
According to him, “The Federal Government will not censor, we will not coerce any media organisation, but we will allow the law to take its course.
“The laws that are there today to take care of this scourge but I think the most important thing is advocacy in order to appeal to the sense of responsibility of ordinary Nigerian.
“Many people think it is a joke, that is, it is just fun when they see pictures being manipulated but some people also are mischievous and they are deliberately misinforming Nigerians because they actually want to destabilise the polity.
“We will not censor, we will not coerce, but we want to appeal to the every Nigerian that this is a national assignment and is in the interest of every one of us especially the media,’’ he said.
Mr Mohammed said that the essence of launching the campaign against fake news was to sensitise Nigerians on its dangers and encourage everyone to get involved in the fight.
He said, “fake news poses serious danger not just to the peace and security of a nation, but also it threatens the very corporate existence of a nation.”
He also urged the media to always be sure of their sources, adding that even when story sources were identified, things that could divide the nation should not be emphasised.
According to him, a country like Nigeria which is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious, fake news laced with hate speech is a time bomb.
“It is important for us to sensitise Nigerians and seek the cooperation of the media, in particular, in fighting the scourge of fake news.
“We are also using tool of information available to us including using the National Orientation Agency and we have also spoken with the giant technological companies like Google, whatsApp, twitter and also Facebook.
“I must say that it gladdens to see that technology companies are also aware and they are very worried about fake news.
“Google has committed about 300 million dollars for the next three years to fight fake news, Facebook has taken out about 583 million fake accounts and twitter 70 million and WhatsApp has today come out with software to detect fake news.
“Ones we get the support and cooperation of these tech companies and the media in Nigeria as well as everyone, we will be able fight this scourge,’’ he said.
-
Information Minister cautions Nigerians on social media use
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed on Wednesday cautioned Nigerians on social media use.
The Minister admonished Nigerians not to share any information they cannot vouch for on Facebook, Twitter or WhatsApp as a measure to curtail fake news menace.
He made the admonition in Abuja at the launch of National Campaign against Fake News.
He urged social media users that before sharing any information on Facebook, Twitter or WhatsApp, they should ascertain how credible the source was.
Mohammed said the campaign against fake news was to sensitise Nigerians to the dangers it posed to peace, security and nation’s corporate existence.
He said though there were existing laws against fake news, the government did not intend to resort to coercion or censorship.
“There is an epidemic sweeping the world. If left unchecked, it could be worse than all the plagues that the world has recorded put together.
“It is a clear and present danger to global peace and security. It is a threat to democracy. It is the epidemic of Fake News. Mixed with hate speech, it is a disaster waiting to happen.
“For the media, the epidemic is even worse. This is because fake news, in most cases designed to misinform, undermines confidence in the media.
“And once the people lose confidence in the media, the society is in trouble,” he said.
The Minister noted that fake news is mainly distributed by social media, but periodically circulated through mainstream media.
He said fake news though not new it becane a issue of concern with the speed at which it spread around the world, and that means is the social media.
“Anyone with a phone and internet access can author and make fake news go viral in minutes.
“With the number of mobile phone users in the world expected to pass the 5 billion mark by 2019, you can see the kind of crisis we face,” he said.
He said fake news is already having far reaching repercussions across the world and Nigeria is no exception.
“In India, about a dozen people have been killed in the past six weeks just because of fake news or hoax messages.
“The victims were lynched after they were falsely accused of child abduction based on fake messages circulated via the social media platform, WhatsApp!
“Right here in Nigeria, the situation is not better. And it is not restricted to the social media.
“Last Thursday, the front page headline of a national newspaper was: Court orders National Assembly to begin impeachment of Buhari.
“The problem with that news item is that it is fake news.
He said the judgment was manipulated to read that the court has given the go-ahead for the National Assembly to commence impeachment proceedings against the President.
The minister recalled a recent report by the BBC, that fake news circulating in the social media is fuelling the farmers-herders crises in Nigeria.
“Gory pictures from other lands are circulated freely via Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter, purportedly being from the killings in Jos or Benue.
“In 2017, a fake report circulated on the social media claimed that five students of the College of Education, Gidan Waya, were ambushed and killed by
Fulani herdsmen in southern Kaduna.“That report turned out to be false. No student was killed. I can go on and on,” he said.
The minister stressed that in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country like Nigeria, fake news is a time bomb.
He said that government would consider engaging big technology companies like Google, Facebook and Twitter in addressing the menace.