President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the conferment of National honours on 338 Nigerians and friends of Nigeria to mark the country’s democratic transition to another government.

Mrs Ibiene Roberts, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, said this in a circular issued on Sunday in Abuja.

One of he recipients is to be conferred with the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), 21 names for Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), 78 names for the Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR).

“Others are; 85 names for the Officer of the Order of Niger (OON), 52 names for the Member of the Order of Federal Republic (MFR), 22 names for the Member of the Order of Niger (MON, and 3 names for Federal Republic Medal (FRM 1).

“All award recipients are to send hard and soft copies of their citations/resumes to the Secretary, National Honours Award Committee, Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs (FMSDIGA) on or before Wednesday, May.

“They will thereafter come to the FMSDIGA office located at the Federal Secretariat, Phase 1, Central Business District for collection of their Certificates and Medals on Thursday June 1,” she said.

Ibiene urged the recipients to call the Secretary, National Honours Award Committee on the following contacts 0805938265, 08082182222 and 08034308817 for further enquiries  and clarification. (NAN)

Buhari Knows They Call Him ‘Baba Go Slow’, Says Lai Mohammed | METROWATCH

By Rotimi Ijikanmi

 Outgoing Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed says President Muhammadu Buhari is aware that a section of Nigerians erroneously calls him “Baba Go Slow”.

“Baba Go Slow” is an appellation for a lackadaisical approach to issue of concerns.

The minister said this in Abuja at a send-forth party organised in his honour by the Board of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

Mohammed said Buhari erroneously earn the appellation because “he is tolerant, and a democrat who gives his Ministers free hand to discharge their duties without undue interference”.

The minister said: “We are always in the bad book of everybody.

“In the bad book of governments because they think we are too soft and in the bad book of  naysayers because they say we are too strict.

“A station (Tv or Radio) will abuse government for a whole year,  nobody will raise a finger. But if you try to impose fine or shut the station down the whole human rights family will now say, fire Lai Mohammed.

” I must give credit to Mr President. I have never seen a President as tolerant as President Muhammadu Buhari”.

He continued: “He has never said that Minister of Information and Culture go and close this station even when they are abusing him.

“One day, I was surprised in the cabinet when the President said,  ‘I know they call me Baba Go Slow”

“The President has become so democratised that he was being blamed.

“But I thank God that today, he is ending in a very good note”.

The minister urged the leadership of the NBC to continue to defend the Amended National Broadcasting Code and strengthen its implementation.

Specifically, he said it should develop a written framework for the code and create a department for its enforcement.

Mohammed appealed to the stakeholders in the industry and Nigerians at large to support the code and it’s provision stressing that it would benefit the industry.

According to him, if implemented, it will increase competition in the industry, promote local contents, reduce capital flight, create employment and help the industry to grow.

The minister also urged the NBC leadership not to rest on its oars in the implementation of the Digital Switch Over (DSO), that is, the process of transiting from analogue to digital broadcasting.

He said when Buhari assumed office in 2015, the DSO was in paper but it had been successfully implemented it in 12 states.

He said there was the need to do more to complete the process because without the DSO, the nation’ broadcast economy would not grow.

Earlier, the Chairman of NBC Board, Bashir Bolarinwa thanked the minister for the support given to the Commission and other parastatal and agencies of the ministry.

He commended the political astuteness of the minister adding that Mohammed had made so much sacrifice for the country and Nigerians would not forget him in a hurry.(NAN)