The minister made this known when he paid a courtesy call on the Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Yusuf, at the Government House Kano on Friday.

According to Idris, Tinubu’s government will ensure that Nigeria and Nigerians are better in the next couple of days through the various programmes and policies of his administration.

The minister said the government is redoubling efforts to achieve the campaign’s promises and make lives better for Nigerians.

The minister said, “We are tasked by the President, myself as a minister and my team to explain the efforts of the government and what we are doing to tackle the economic hardship and assure the people that the reforms are temporary and the difficulties will soon go away and Nigerians will enjoy.”

Earlier in his remarks, the governor lauded Tinubu for heeding the calls to reopen the nation’s borders, explaining that with the action, the suffering among the masses will soon go away.

He applauded the minister for his efforts in amplifying the policies and programmes of the Federal Government, assuring him that the state is committed to supporting the Federal Government in tackling the challenges of insecurity through the use of technology.

Idris, who lamented that most of the information outposts in the country are unmanned, said the move is necessary to restore consciousness of nationhood, which, he said, is waning.

“The national orientation agency has offices in the 774 LGAs…not all the people that will man these local government offices are there, but we are rebuilding that. We are going to put officers of the NOA around all the 774 LGAs,” Idris told State House Correspondents shortly after he briefed President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.

Idris observed that “the belief in the concept of nationhood and patriotism has broken down in this country. We’re trying to rebuild that, to reconstruct that.”

“Mr. President has given me a marching order to see that Nigerians believe in this country once again. We’re coming up with a national discourse on orientation or reorientation. So that Nigerians can believe in their country.

“People don’t even believe in leaders that they themselves have elected. Flags are not flying anymore. You go to government offices, you don’t even see the symbol of our collective existence, flying even in public buildings.

“We’re bringing back this concept of discipline that Nigerians should have. Patriotism. Belief in the nationhood that our founding fathers have given us. National orientation is going to be at the center of it,” the minister explained.

He said the FG will not deny Nigerians their freedom of expression despite the proliferation of fake news on social media.

However, the FG is “looking at suggestions by the Nigerian Press Council to set up a registration scheme for journalists but is wary of concerns about “gagging the media,” Idris noted.

While lamenting the use of unpatriotic language by Nigerians online, he argued that freedom of speech comes with great responsibility.

“That is a very delicate line to toe. While the government, Mr. President and all of us in that sector are committed to ensuring press freedom. That freedom comes with responsibility…there is no attempt by the government to gag the press,” Idris told journalists.

Addressing the plans by the Nigerian Press Council to register journalists as a way to sanitize the profession, the Minister said, “Well, that is being looked at; you know that Mr. President believes in press freedom. He believes in the freedom of expression, and he’s not going to gag the press in any way, shape or form.

“He’s going to work assiduously to ensure that the Nigerian press that has been free is even freer. But this freedom also comes with enormous responsibility.

“You can’t just say what is not right because you’re enjoying press freedom. There will be freedom, responsible freedom.”

On welfare for members of the Nigerian press in Nigeria, Idris said, “It is in the works. I have discussed that with Mr. President. He wants to see me come up with a roadmap for that.

“We are going to work on that and you will get definite answers in due course. I want this to be underscored: There is no attempt by the government to gag the press. We’re going to do whatever it takes that is responsible and accountable. Responsible journalism is the way to go.”

Idris assumed office on August 21, 2023. A day earlier, he concluded his maiden visit to the Nigerian Press Council where he said Nigerian journalists will “breathe and flourish” under the new administration.

He also stated that terrorism is a global issue.

Mohammed made this reaction while speaking with journalists in Maiduguri, Benue State capital after a meeting with the State Governor Samuel Ortom for a scheduled event of the official handing over of the Nigerian Institute of Hospitality and Tourism.

“Terrorism is a global issue and there is no part of the world that is not experiencing these pockets of terrorism. I am glad that you heard from the governor himself that the Federal Government has assisted a lot in curbing the insecurity in Benue State.

“We also need more support from global partners. For instance, Nigeria has made attempt to acquire better and effective platforms to deal with terrorists. But for one reason or the other, we have been denied. And without adequate platforms and weapons we remain at the mercy of terrorists,” the Minister said.

He lamented that the insurgent attack in Zabarmari, Jere Local Government Area of Borno State which led to the death of 43 farmers is unfortunate and the Federal Government is doing all possible to eliminate the insurgents.

“What happened in Borno State was quite unfortunate but we must also be able to look at the strategy of the terrorists. Terrorists use media and publicity as oxygen.

“When they go on the mindless killing of innocent people, it is like a dying terrorist group which suddenly spring back to life. This doesn’t mean that the Federal Government is not doing well enough.”

Recall that 43 farmers were killed on Saturday morning around Marrabati and Hammayya villages, near Zabarmari in Jere Local Government Area of Borno State by Boko Haram terrorists.

It was gathered that the farmers were waylaid on their way to their rice farms which they were harvesting before the surprise attack happened.

Some other farmers were also taken away by the insurgents.

The hike in the cost of fuel, as a consequence of deregulation in the past few days, has led to various reactions, including planned nationwide strike by the labour union.

Some Nigerians accused the government of being insensitive to the plight of Nigerians, especially during a pandemic.

Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed while addressing newsmen in Lagos on Saturday said unlike popular opinions, the government is not insensitive to Nigerians, adding that the full deregulation of the petroleum sector and the service-based electricity tariff adjustment will in the long run benefit the ordinary people.

Explaining how, the minister said: “Let’s start with deregulation. Ordinary citizens are not the beneficiaries of the subsidy on petroleum products that have lasted for years. Between 2006 and 2019, a total of 10.4 trillion Naira was spent on fuel subsidy, most of which went to fat cats who either collected subsidy for products they didn’t import or diverted the products to neighbouring countries, where prices are much higher. Instead of subsidy, ordinary Nigerians were subjected to scarcity of petroleum products.

They endured incessant long queues and paid higher to get the products, thus making the subsidy ineffectual.”

The minister added that aside from the benefits, the government can no longer afford the cost of subsidy due to the economic conditions.

“Apart from that, the truth is that the government can no longer afford the cost of subsidy, especially under the prevailing economic conditions. Revenues and foreign exchange earnings by the government have fallen by almost 60%, due to the downturn in the fortunes of the oil sector. And there is no provision for subsidy in the revised 2020 budget.

So where will the subsidy money come from? Remember that despite the massive fall in revenues, the government still has to sustain expenditures, especially on salaries and capital projects,” Lai Mohammed added.