Lai: We’ll turn the disaster of GEJ’s govt into a blessing

Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, says the current administration will turn the “disaster” it inherited from the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan into a blessing.

Speaking at a meeting with members of the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON) ahead of the one year anniversary of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government, Mohammed said his party was aware that it was not elected to make excuses.

He acknowledged that the nation was passing through a very difficult situation with the loss of more than 60 per cent of national income due to the crash in the price of crude oil.

“This administration is aware that it was not elected to make excuses, but to put the nation back on a sound economic footing, ensure the security of lives and property and banish corruption,” he said.

“We have therefore decided to turn the disaster that we inherited into a blessing by diversifying our economy away from the mono-product of oil, leveraging on agriculture, solid minerals as well as culture and tourism, among others.”

He appealed to Nigerians to exercise patience with the current administration, saying “change is not instant coffee”.

He said despite the current challenges, there will definitely be a reason to smile.

“In the words of Henry David Thoreau, all misfortune is but a stepping stone to fortune,” he said.

“Change is no instant coffee, it is a process. We are now laying a solid foundation for our country.

“The road will be rough, but as the saying goes, the darker the night, the brighter the morning. Our long suffering people will surely smile again.”

Mohammed appreciated the unprecedented trust Nigerians reposed in the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari to “steer the ship of state to safe shores”.

The minister reassured Nigerians that the change promised was real, in spite of the tough situation of the moment.

Mohammed added that if the government had not been elected, there would have been no economy in the country.

On the scorecard of the administration in the past one year, Mohammed said significant achievements were recorded in security, economy and the fight against corruption.