The Federal Government on Tuesday rolled out a sensitization campaign in the South-South to showcase the achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration at its two-year mark.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, declared open the campaign in Port Harcourt under the theme: “Tinubu Administration’s Mid-Term Report.”
Idris, represented by Mr. Gabriel Obokuru, Head of the Federal Information Centre, Port Harcourt, said the initiative was designed to engage citizens, correct misinformation, and highlight the government’s policies and projects across the Niger Delta.
According to him, the administration has invested heavily in infrastructure, agriculture, education, and job creation within the region.
“The Tinubu government has touched many areas in the South-South with various projects, particularly in Edo and Delta States, and more initiatives are still ongoing,” he said.
He listed the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprise, Niger Delta (LIFE-ND), the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), the Renewed Hope Housing Scheme, the Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative, and low-interest loans to micro-enterprises through the Bank of Industry as major interventions.
Dr. Helen Nsirim, Public Relations Officer of the ministry, gave further details, revealing that N500 million was disbursed to 1,797 farmers in Edo State to boost agribusiness under LIFE-ND.
The programme, jointly funded by the Federal Government, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), has also been implemented in Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers states.
“The programme is targeted at youths, women-led households, and persons with disabilities, providing training, skills, and tools to create wealth and reduce unemployment in rural communities,” Nsirim said.
She added that construction work was ongoing on the 700-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, a landmark project linking Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states, which she described as “a game-changer for commerce and connectivity.”
Residents were urged to register for government opportunities, including the student loan scheme, conditional cash transfers, and the housing programme.
At a panel session, Prof. Sunny Orike, Head of ICT and Desk Officer of NELFUND at Rivers State University, lamented the low subscription of the student loan despite its broad eligibility.
“Every Nigerian student in federal and state-owned tertiary institutions qualifies for the loan. It is interest-free, and repayment begins two years after graduation and securing employment. Yet, many students are not applying,” he said.
He encouraged students to take advantage of the programme, stressing that it was designed to remove financial barriers to education and promote human capital development in the country.
