Minister of Information and Culture
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has advised newly appointed Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of nine agencies under the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture to be guided by the priority areas of the government of President Muhammadu Buhari in their operations.
The newly appointed CEOs were BukiPonle, as Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria; NuraSaniKangiwa, as Director-General, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism; Francis NdubuisiNwosu, as Executive Secretary, Nigerian Press Council; Ebeten William Ivara, Director General, National Gallery of Arts; OlalekanFadolapo, Registrar/CEO of Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria and Prof. Sunday EnessiOdodo, General Manager/CEO, National Theatre.
The other appointees are Ado Mohammed Yahuza, Executive Secretary/CEO, National Institute for Cultural Orientation; Prof. Aba Isa Tijjani, Director General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments; and MrsOluwabunmiAyobamiAmao, Director General, Centre For Black And African Arts And Civilization.
Alhaji Mohammed in his inauguration statement urged them to consider their appointments by the President as a call to national service, adding that they must work hard to justify it. A starting point for them, he said, is to ensure that the activities of their agencies key into the nine priority areas of government.
He reminded them that the President has said the nine priority areas were identified to guide the administration’s policy directions over the next few years and to achieve national development.
The Minister listed the nine priority areas as: Build a thriving and sustainable economy; Enhance social inclusion and reduce poverty; Enlarge agricultural output for food security and export; Attain energy sufficiency in power and petroleum products; and Expand transport and other infrastructural development;
The rest priority areas are: Expand business growth, entrepreneurship and industrialization; Expand access to quality education, affordable healthcare and productivity of Nigerians; Build a system to fight corruption, improve governance and create social cohesion and Improve security for all.
He reminded them, especially agencies in the culture and tourism sectors that priorities 1, which is to build a thriving and sustainable economy, and 2, which is to enhance social inclusion and reduce poverty were of particular relevance to them. He added that those in the Ministry of Information and Culture have already started working on these areas through their ongoing reforms in the Creative Industry, which include culture and tourism sectors, and their efforts to put in place an Audience Measurement System.
He requested the new appointees to submit reports to him of where they plan to take their agencies to, and the road map for achieving such, saying it will form the basis for their periodic assessment.
