TheCable

Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, has advised those who think that the federal government has no definite economic plan “to take the pains to check”.

Speaking on Thursday while receiving, Sadanobu Kusaoke, Japanese ambassador to Nigeria, Mohammad said the government is working to reflate the economy.

”Those who think we do not have an economic plan have not taken the pains to check out our plan,” he said.

”We are working to reflate the economy, provide more jobs, invest in infrastructure, power, railways and roads and by so doing create the enabling environment for industries to thrive.”

Mohammed explained that there are 34 priority actions to be implemented in the 2016 budget.

According to him, Nigeria would achieve self sufficiency in tomato paste production by 2016, rice production by 2018, wheat production by 2019, in addition to increasing local production of maize, soya, poultry and livestock, among others.

The minister expressed delight at the offer by the Japanese ambassador to assist in developing the capacity of Nigerian film producers in the area of animation and children films.

”We don’t have enough films for children in Nigeria, and we run the risk of our children watching films that are inappropriate for their age and moral upbringing,” he said.

Earlier, Kusaoke said his country would like to collaborate with the ministry of information and culture in the area of cultural exchange and film industry.

The envoy said he would want Nigerian movies to be shown in Japan and for Japanese films to be shown in Nigeria, in the bid to promote Japanese culture in Nigeria.