Solution is in sight for the economic challenges, Minister of Finance Olawale Edun yesterday said yesterday.

He added that the Tinubu Administration will tackle foreign exchange (forex) problem with the cheapest available funds.

He said he met with World Bank officials yesterday (Wednesday) on how to address tight forex liquidity.

Edun unveiled plans to address the nation’s economic problems at a Business Lunch in his honour and three other ministers by the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN) in Abuja.

Those also honoured are Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alh. Mohammed Idris; the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr. Dele Alake and the Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy Hanatu Musawa.

All the ministers, who have been active members of NPAN, were celebrated for being appointed into the cabinet of President Tinubu.

Edun, a former chairman of Vintage Press Limited, was treasurer of NPAN, while Idris, who was publisher of BluePrint, was general secretary.

Speaking on what he described as his humbling experience in power, Edun assured Nigerians that Tinubu was working round the clock to find solutions to the nation’s economic problems.

“I have just risen from a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee as stipulated by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to make sure that there are collaboration, coordination and cooperation. And, as you can imagine, full communication in terms of the economic management of our dear country.

“And so we went through things like the economic management framework, which would include a lot of consultations, step-by-step with other stakeholders, including the private sector that will serve as one of the key ad hoc committees that we put together and the updated and expanded national development plan.

“Even earlier, we were meeting with the World Bank. As we know, this is a time of very tight foreign exchange liquidity. So, it must be sought and found wherever.

“And one of those cheap and viable ways is foreign exchange funding, which virtually comes free. A lot of it has zero interest from the World Bank, a multilateral development institution set up to help developing countries such as ours.

“And of course, you have to be able to tell them, this is the economic plan. You all know the measures that Mr. President has taken. We have briefly dealt with the issue of subsidy that was draining government revenues. He has briefly dealt with the foreign exchange situation and multiple windows, which was deterring investors

“But as we know, there is much to be done. So, this morning session (Thursday’s) was a way of explaining our plan in order to attract the cheapest or most available of those funds.

“So that’s just to spend the time I have with you, explaining myself, communicating and there’s much more of that to be done,” Edun said.

He pleaded for the cooperation of the media, said the government was working hard to find solutions to the nation’s economic.

He said Tinubu is ultimately encouraging investments that will increase productivity that will grow the economy, create jobs and reduce poverty.

“All these will certainly be put on the right trajectory which will yield results in the not too distant future,” Edun said.

Idris said the media industry may also benefits from the tax incentives the government was working on.

He affirmed that the government will not censor the media under any guise.

He promised the nation of his aspiration to change the face of public communication in the country.

“I want to change the face of public communication in this country. I think it is possible to do public communication and still retain your integrity.

“I will say it the way it is. I will make it a duty to talk to colleagues. It is in my interest that the media should breath

“There are tax incentives that the government is working on. I can tell you that the press will be part of it.

“National orientation is going to be in the forefront. Things are going to happen and we are going to change the face of national orientation. The president told me of his commitment to this. I think a lot is going to happen,” Idris said.

Alake, pleaded with NPAN members to ensure that journalists in the country are “analytical.”

He said the traditional media should promote factual and in-depth reporting to set the pace for others.

Alake expressed concerns that younger Nigerians are no longer interested in journalism.

Chairman of the occasion, Mr. Sam Amuka, Publisher of Vanguard, pleaded with the government to allow newspapers to breath.

“We appeal to you, let the newspapers breath. There is hardly any hard copy newspaper that is not losing money today.

“The hard copy will always survive in Africa because we always celebrate birthdays and funeral. Not all the titles will die but we want as many as possible to survive,” Amuka said.

He said NPAN will soon seek audience with President Tinubu on the problems in the Nigerian media.

A life patron of NPAN and former President, Chief Olusegun Osoba, expressed confidence that the four ministers will perform well in office.

President of NPAN, Mallam Kabiru Yusuf, who also heads Nigerian Press Organization(NPO) said the media is crucial to the growth and development of democracy in the country.

“We are contributing our bit to the growth and development of democracy. The Fourth Estate of the Realm is crucial to democracy.

“We have lost our colleagues but the nation has gained so much. When they finish what they are doing, they will still come back to us,” Yusuf said.

NPAN members. Including Chairman of Punch Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Angela Emuwa, President of Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Mr. Eze Anaba and Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chief Chris Iziguzo later set agenda for the four ministers.

While Emuwa sought for more business, including advertisements from the government, Anaba asked the government to avoid media censorship.

The event was attended by media chiefs including Managing Director and Editor-In-Chief of the Guardian Press Limited, Mr. Martins Oloja; Editor-In-Chief of Leadership Newspapers, Mr. Azu Ishikwene; Managing Director of Thisday Newspapers Limited, Mr. Eniola Bello; Provost of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye; Deputy Managing Director of Thisday Newspapers, Mr. Kayode Komolafe, Managing Director of The Sun Newspapers, Mr. Onuoha Ukeh and the Group Managing Director of DAAR Communications, Mr. Tony Akiotu.

Others at the session were Publisher, Businessday Newspapers, Mr. Frank Aigbogun, Publisher of Daily Times, Mr. Fidelis Anosike; NPAN Executive Secretary, Mr. Feyi Smith; Chairman of Thisday Editorial Board, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi; former Senior Technical Assistant to the President, Mr. Louis Odion; Managing Director of Independent Newspapers Limited, Steve Omanufeme, Publisher of Abuja Enquirer, Mr. Dan Akpovwa and Publisher of the Nigerian Pilot, Dennis Sammy. (The Nation)

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