The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, has said there is nothing wrong with Nigeria borrowing money to finance some of its projects.
Alhaji Idris made this known in Umuahia, Abia State while briefing newsmen after attending the 2026 South-East Summit organised by the Federal Government and hosted by the Abia State Government.
No country in the world is free from borrowing money, the minister said, noting that even the United States of America still borrows.
Alhaji Idris, while insisting that there is nothing wrong with the country borrowing, however said what is wrong is when the money borrowed is not properly utilised.
“The United States of America (USA) still borrows money, there is nothing wrong in borrowing but what is wrong is when the money borrowed is not properly applied.”
He said Nigeria’s economy was in a comatose state before the coming of President Bola Tinubu to power, to the point that many states were unable to pay salaries.
Alhaji Idris said all that had changed as state governments now not only pay salaries but embark on major projects courtesy of the freeing up of the economy by the Tinubu administration through the removal of fuel subsidy and other economic policies.
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He said: “When President Tinubu came on board, he inherited a lot of problems, so much that many states could not pay salaries. “But now, things have changed.
“Many states could not pay salaries at that time, but this has changed, states now have many resources to not only pay salaries, but also to engage in monumental projects.
“Any Governor would have found it difficult to do anything meaningful in his state without the economic policies put up by the Tinubu administration that has ensured enormous funds coming to them.
The minister, commenting on the just concluded South-East Security Summit in Umuahia, said it was a very important platform that brought together many stakeholders to find ways of tackling insecurity in the South-East.
He said that security was not the sole responsibility of the government and security agencies, adding that security challenges in the South-East required collaborative efforts.
Idris said that the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu had security as a priority, adding that what happened in Oyo was a masterclass in rescue operations.
“President Tinubu has vowed that no person in Nigeria will be taken by criminal elements, he wants to live in peace.
Idris said the security summit which would hold in all geopolitical zones of the country would ensure collaborative engagement to find a lasting solution for a prosperous Nigeria.
The Abia State Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, commended the minister for coming to Abia and making time to meet with journalists.
He advocated synergy between the Federal Government and the Abia State Government in the area of information management.
