While Nigerians grumble, Buhari’s minister speaks again

– Chief Audu Ogbeh, the agriculture minister, also said cabinet ministers would soon hold a retreat to discuss and articulate ways through which they can enhance service delivery

– Geoffrey Onyema, foreign affairs minister, said through economic diplomacy, his ministry would work to make Nigerians access foreign investors with ease

– Lai Mohammed said a sustained and robust engagement through town hall meetings would provide the veritable platform to correct misconceptions about the government

Lai Mohammed, Nigeria’s information minister, has said the federal government decided to organise town hall meetings across the country to provide an avenue for both the government and the governed to exchange ideas in order to fostering good governance.

”It’s not so much about the government explaining its programmes and policies but also about those who are governed expressing their satisfaction or dissatisfaction.

“What I found today is that there is a lot of misconception and prejudices, which this kind of platform will throw more light on,” the minister told newsmen at the end of the south-east edition of the town hall meeting in Enugu.

According to him, each part of the country has its unique and peculiar challenges, but a sustained and robust engagement through the town hall meetings would provide the veritable platform to correct some of the misconceptions and throw more light on government’s policies and programme.

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He added: “The major takeaway is that there is no substitute to such meeting because it provides the avenue and vehicle for both the government and the governed to exchange ideas.

“You can imagine the kind of questions we received today (Monday) either on agriculture or appointment or infrastructural development.

“Clearly, at the end of the day, I felt better because we were able to explain to our brothers and sisters here that this government will not marginalise any part of the country.”

Chief Audu Ogbeh, the agriculture minister, also said cabinet ministers would soon hold a retreat to discuss and articulate ways through which they can enhance service delivery to Nigerians.

“Very soon we will have a cabinet retreat where all ministers will come together and discuss issues and find out what people’s reactions are and how we can help each other to solve the problems as well. It’s a finer way of running a country.

“Keep in touch with the people and they will tell you what they don’t like or what they are unhappy about and suggest to you how to do it,” Chief Ogbe said.

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Geoffrey Onyema, foreign affairs minister, said through the economic diplomacy initiated by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, his ministry would create more avenues for Nigerians to access foreign investors.

He said: “We want to build a platform to empower ordinary Nigerians to be able to access any market anywhere in the world and that’s why we are working to produce match-making database, where we will be putting in touch Nigerian businesses that want to sell to potential markets and Nigerians who are looking for investors and partners.”

The Enugu town hall meeting was the fifth in a series.

It started in Lagos on April 25th 2016 and has now been held in Kaduna, Kano and Uyo.

Many Nigerians believe that the town hall meeting was planned because of the rising grouse against the government. A recent report had shown that President Buhari’s rating in the country was dwindling.

At the town hall meeting held in Enugu, Chris Ngige, the labour minister, was booed for defending the president’s alleged lopsided appointments.

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