unveiled an innovative programme, tagged TESTIMONIES OF CHANGE, to
showcase the achievements of the Buhari Administration from the
perspective of Nigerians themselves.
Speaking at the occasion, held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential
Villa, Abuja on Sunday night, the Minister said the personal
testimonies from the lips of Nigerians is to complement the different
platforms created by his ministry to communicate the various
achievements of the Buhari Administration.
He said the testimony series was borne out of the experiences of
Nigerians who have benefitted from the various programmes of
government and are ready to relate such experiences to fellow
Nigerians.
“We have used many platforms to communicate the numerous achievements
of the Administration to Nigerians. These include Town Hall Meetings,
which we have now held 16 times across the country; media tour of
infrastructural projects; regular visits to media organizations, press
conferences and media interviews, and the FGN/iAPP.
“However, we decided to add another platform, which is personal
testimonies. The simple, dictionary meaning of testimony is ‘evidence
or proof of something’. There is no better evidence of what this
Administration has achieved than that given by Nigerians, who have
been positively impacted by the policies and programmes of
government,” Mohammed said.
He said no one can better tell Nigerians about the impact of the
Home-grown School Feeding System than the 9.3 million school children
who are fed one meal a day, five times a week, or the over 90,000
cooks who have been employed under the programme.
The Minister also said no one can better tell Nigerians about the
impact of the N-POWER programme than the 500,000 graduates who have
been employed under the scheme.
“If you want to know about the success of Tradermoni, ask any of the 2
million beneficiaries. If it’s Marketmoni, ask any of the over 350,000
beneficiaries. Who can better communicate the efficiency of the
Abuja-Kaduna rail transportation than the thousands of people who are
daily ferried between the two cities. And if the government says it
has paid pensioners from the defunct NITEL and Nigeria Airways, among
others, is it not better to hear directly from those who have received
their pensions after waiting for many years?” he asked.
Mohammed said the testimonies, which started running on radio
and television stations across the country, as well as in the Social
Media, late last year, have so rattled the opposition that they were
forced to issue a statement in which they acknowledged that the media
space is awash with the testimony series.
“The achievements of this Administration are real, and the
Administration has impacted positively on millions of Nigerians, in
just three and half years and with very limited resources, compared to
other Administrations that
have presided over the affairs of our dear country since 1999,” he said.
In his remarks, President Muhammadu Buhari, who was represented by the
Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma,
congratulated the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture for the
innovative way it is showcasing the numerous achievements of the
administration.
He said hearing directly from Nigerians lends credibility to the
positive impact of the policies and programmes of the government on
the lives of the people.
“In our second term, we will build on this momentum and we will do
even more. Nigerians can look forward to greater prosperity, more
opportunities and the continuation of growth that is diversified,
inclusive and sustained. Under my leadership, we will achieve the
Nigeria of our dream,” the President said.
Twenty-two persons, including the Oba of Jebba, Alhaji Abdulkadir
Alabi Adebare; Ba’ale of Bode Sa’adu, Mr. Bolakale Yusuf; Mr. Lookman
Animashaun of the defunct Nigerian Airways, Mr. Udeh Mathew Orji of
the defunct Biafran Police Force, Hajia Halita Aliu and Mr. Jamiu
Abiola, the son of the late M.K.O Abiola, were present at the occasion
to testify to the benefit of the policies of the government under the
N-Power, School Feeding Programme, payment of pensions, TraderMoni,
MarketMoni, various infrastructural projects as well as on the
recognition and honour bestowed on the acclaimed winner of the June
12, 1993 presidential election, the late Chief M.K.O Abiola.
Dignitaries, including Head of Service of the Civil Service of the
Federation Winifred Oyo-Ita and Directors-General of the agencies
under the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, attended the
event.
