The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu listens to the concerns and feedback of Nigerians and considers them when reviewing government policies, Peak Newspaper reports.
Idris made the statement in Abuja on Tuesday when a delegation from the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), led by its Director-General, Prof. Ayo Omotayo, paid a courtesy visit to the ministry.
The minister explained that the responsibility of the Ministry of Information and National Orientation goes beyond explaining government policies to citizens. According to him, the ministry also serves as a channel through which the views, concerns and reactions of Nigerians are communicated back to the government.
Idris said President Tinubu regularly seeks to know how Nigerians are responding to the policies of his administration.
“Whenever I sit with him, the first question he asks is: ‘What are Nigerians saying?’” the minister said.
He explained that the President’s interest in public opinion shows that governance is not a one-way process, stressing that policies can be reviewed or adjusted when necessary based on the realities and feedback from citizens.
“He is not merely a president who disseminates information or announces policy decisions. He also seeks to understand what Nigerians think,” Idris added.
The minister said the renewed focus on national orientation has strengthened the government’s ability to understand public sentiment, particularly at the grassroots.
He noted that the National Orientation Agency has more than 800 offices across Nigeria, giving the government access to communities and different groups of citizens, including farmers, artisans and other members of the public.
According to him, information gathered from these communities can help the government better understand the challenges facing Nigerians and their expectations from government.
Idris also assured the NIPSS delegation of the ministry’s support for its research into Nigeria’s creative economy, which is the focus of the institute’s Senior Executive Course 48.
The former Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, was also present during the meeting.
Earlier, the NIPSS Director-General, Prof. Ayo Omotayo, disclosed that the institute had selected the creative economy, also known as the “Orange Economy,” as the theme for its current senior executive course.
He said the research would examine the opportunities and challenges within the creative sector and assess how it could contribute to President Tinubu’s target of building a trillion-dollar Nigerian economy.
Omotayo revealed that participants in the course had visited seven Nigerian states and several countries to study creative industries and gather information for the research.
He also announced plans by NIPSS to organise a National Summit and Exhibition on the Orange Economy to bring together key stakeholders and showcase the sector’s potential.
According to him, the creative economy covers about 48 areas and has significant potential to create wealth and employment opportunities.
He pointed to Nigeria’s music industry as an example, noting that some Nigerian artistes have generated billions of naira through digital music platforms.
“We believe this particular sector can actually be one of the major sectors of the economy that will solve the problem of real unemployment,” Omotayo said.
He appealed to the Ministry of Information and National Orientation to partner with NIPSS in organising and promoting the proposed summit.
Omotayo said the institute’s goal was to encourage Nigerians to pay greater attention to the creative economy and recognise its potential as a major driver of employment, wealth creation and national development.
