Critics Of Buhari’s Govt Ignorant, Says Lai Mohammed
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has flayed critics of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration over the poor economy, describing them as ignorant.
Speaking Thursday at the scorecard presentation of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), Mohammad insisted that the government has done well in the past eight years and as such, deserves another opportunity to further deliver dividends of democracy to Nigerians.
He said: “Buhari’s Administration is ready to deliver another dividend of democracy to Nigerians. As you are aware, the much-ballyhooed Second Niger Bridge has been completed and will soon be commissioned.
“Well, I am happy to announce today that another highly-valuable bridge and road are ready for commissioning in the next few weeks. I am talking here of the 2.055km Loko-Oweto bridge over River Benue and the 74-kilometer Nasarawa-Loko Road linking Nasarawa and Benue States.
“The road and the bridge are a game changer and economic booster for the two states in particular and the nation in general.
“As you are aware, critics of the administration will say that while it has done well in the area of infrastructure, it has not fared well in the area of the economy.
“With due respect, statements like this are borne out of ignorance. This is because infrastructure is a key driver of economic development, meaning that when you are building modern infrastructure as this administration is doing, you are actually putting in place, the building blocks of economic and social development.”
Adding: “When you are constructing roads and bridges, you create jobs as you will employ workers, you trigger economic activities as you will buy sand, granite, cement and other construction materials, you create a mini-economy around the construction sites as food sellers and others converge there to cater to the needs of the workers.”
The Minister noted that the newly completed Nasarawa-Loko road and the Loko-Oweto bridge have cut the journey from the Eastern part of the country to Abuja by three hours.
“Travelers coming from Enugu to Abuja today, who have no business in Lafia can come straight to Abuja through Keffi, thereby saving three hours as a result of the completion of this bridge and its access road”, he stated.
