.His reforms for good of Nigeria —Information Minister
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday vowed to be relentless in fighting corruption in the country, saying that no matter how much it fought back, it must be exterminated.
He spoke at the inauguration of the second phase of Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT), the Red Line rail project, in Ikeja.
Tinubu promised to fight corruption to a standstill in order to succeed and reposition Nigeria economically.
He called on Nigerians to exercise patience and be hopeful.
“There’s a very bright light at the end of the tunnel.
“I agree smuggling will fight back, corruption will fight back. We will fight them. Corruption will go away.
“We’ll save the money for you, to educate our children, to pay for the healthcare system of our people, to pay for modern transportation system and work for highest number of people.
“The fight is on, we’re not looking back,” he said.
Tinubu said that the Lagos rail project was a constant reminder that change was possible.
“Change is possible and change we must achieve, progress we must achieve.
“It is not about the individual but about the huge population. We must plan for their future.
“If our problem is corruption, we must exterminate it, no matter how much it is fighting back. No to corruption. We must adhere to our pledge. We must stay hopeful,” he said.
Tinubu said the project was evidence that it is good to dream big, and an evidence of validation of democracy by the people for the people.
“When you put people at the centre of your planning, you will realize the benefits of democracy.”
The president commended Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for bringing to life a vision of 25 years.
” Today is an evidence that it’s good to dream, this is a testimony of democracy, 25 years ago, I was elected to lead Nigeria’s most populous state.
“My team and I toiled day and night to transform Lagos into the economic power of Africa.
“Now we’re realizing that dream, it’s not a crime to dream and dream big, just stay focused.
“A dream conceived a quarter of a century ago is now a reality,” he said.
He said that the blueprint had worked out for more than four administrations.
“From launching the Bus Rapid Transit system; the ferry, massive upgrade of roads; LAMATA, thank you very much. The history of Lagos will be written with you in gold,” he said.
Tinubu expressed his delight in the success of the project, with the inauguration of the second of the six rail lines.
“Thank you for believing in us, for lifting our spirit. I asked for this job I cannot complain. We cannot afford to rest on our oars, no room for complacency,” the president said.
Similarly Gov. Sanwo-Olu applauded Tinubu, a former Lagos State governor, for being a visionary and a committed leader to the development of the state.
”The vision that you started, you’re here to see it become a reality; the country may be going through a lot, but I’m convinced that with your vision, we will get to the Promised Land.
‘In year 2003 you created LAMATA, I stand here very proud of our achievements,” he said.
He commended the president for supporting him immensely.
” I stand here with a lot gratitude to my predecessors Babatunde Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode, for being part of this vision,” the Governor said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the red rail track is expected to convey about 500,000 passengers daily when operational.
The Red Line, a 37 km rail line integrating key bus terminals at Oyingbo, Yaba, Oshodi, Ikeja, and Iju, extends to Agbado in Ogun State.
Also on Thursday in Lagos, President Tinubu urged the organized labour to make peace, saying it was unfair calling for strikes within just nine months of his administration.
The president said this at the inauguration of the red line rail in Lagos, where he reiterated his commitment to deliver good governance to Nigerians.
Tinubu, throwing the jab at labour, said that no matter how much they laid claim to their freedom and their rights, calling strikes within nine months of an administration was “unacceptable”.
“If you want to participate in the electoral process, wait until 2027; if not, then make peace. You are not the only voice of Nigerians”, he said.
Tinubu assured Nigerians that the country would be out of the woods with perseverance and hard work.
Tinubu’s jab came days after the NLC staged a protest rally over the high cost of living in the country.
It planned the protest for two days, but suspended it after the first day.
The NLC is also threatening to call a strike later if the government fails to address its grievances.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, has said the reforms of President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government were well-intentioned and are for the good of the country.
Idris, who spoke at the Punch Nigeria Ltd 50th Anniversary Lecture on Thursday in Lagos, said Tinubu’s commitment to the Nigerian project was of resilience and hard work, to put the nation on track again.
Idris, who noted that though Nigeria was passing through a challenging period, said issues in the country were not peculiar, adding that the President removed subsidy and implemented other reforms in the interest of the nation.
“The government of President Bola Tinubu has taken, as you know, very bold steps from inception. He (Tinubu) didn’t pretend from Day One that it was going to be an easy thing. Of course, we are seeing the effects of some of these hard decisions.
“The good story is that government is taking very bold decisions to ensure that we turn the corner and Nigerian economy comes back again. Government believes that all these things happening are for the good of the country,” the Minister said.
He said that the President was working on the unification of the foreign exchange regime and had also met with key drivers of the nation’s economy to discuss how Nigeria would get better.
“Of course the challenges are going to be there, no one is pretending that they don’t exist, but we see a situation where in another one year, the story is going to be quite different”, he said.
He said that the government needed more time, adding that people could criticize the government and offer suggestions, “but this country has to exist.”
According to him, the National Bureau of Statistics only recently said that for the first time in a very long time, Nigeria is witnessing capital import improving by about 66 per cent.
Idris said that the nation’ domestic refining capacity had also gone up by about eight per cent.
He noted that insecurity was inherited by Tinubu, but that his administration had done a lot to significantly respond to the problem.
“We are not saying that your security has gone away completely, but it has improved significantly, he added.
On the Organized Labour’s demands, the minister said that many of the demands had been met, but pointed out that all the issues could not be resolved overnight.
The minister also said the FG had done a lot, including interventions in social security system for teeming youth population, consumer credit scheme, among others, that the media needed to talk about.
On food supply, he said that the Federal Government was working hard to see how to end the challenge
He said that the government had been listening to the people and reviewing some of its policies from time to time, to ensure a better life for citizens
While urging the media to propagate government’s efforts, Idris said that Tinubu remained a strong believer in press freedom and would do all to uphold and deepen it.
He, however, said that press freedom also came with enormous responsibilities.
“You do not have the liberty to report what you know to be absolutely untrue. We have seen how other countries are also promoting their own.
“Let us please talk about all those good things happening in this country, it is not all bad stories all the time. So, as all these things are happening, investors are coming to this country.
“Now all these ones are good stories that we should talk about and I implore the media to please report well. This is the country that we have; we don’t have any other country. If we run down this place, there is no other place for all of us to go to,” the Minister said.
In her goodwill message, the Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, said that the media had the ability to hold leaders accountable, urging it to maximize such for the betterment of the nation.
Also speaking, former member representing Ethiope Federal constituency, Delta State, Mr. Lovette Idisi, urged the media to stand against publications or anything that could affect the future generation.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the lecture in memory of Chief James Aboderin, the founding Chairman, Punch Nigeria Ltd, titled: “Recovering the Narrative” was delivered by Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka.
The event had in attendance media executives, captains of industries, academics, leaders of thoughts, security chiefs, among others.
Other dignitaries at the events are a former Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi; Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, Mr. Bayo Onanuga; former spokesman to immediate past President, Malam Garba Shehu, among others.
