Lai Mohammed explains why he requested for N13mill loan

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai
Mohammed, has explained his request for a
N13.12 million loan from the National
Broadcasting Commission, NBC, meant for
logistics for an official assignment to China. In
a statement signed by the Director, Public
Relations and Protocol in the Ministry, Peter
Dama, Lai Mohammed said the letter to the NBC
requesting for a loan was mischievously leaked
to social media by staff of the commission.
The statement added that the loan was to cover
tickets and travel expenses of a five-member
delegation being led by the Minister to Beijing,
China, for a Conference on Tourism for
Development.
“The loan being requested for is for the
ministry to meet up its obligations to
enable the Minister and members of his
delegation attend the all important
conference. The loan is not meant for the
minister alone as personal expenses, but
for the expenses of all members of the
delegation. The Conference is being
organised by the United Nations World
Tourism Organisation in conjunction with
the Government of the People’s Republic
of China, under the overall theme
“Tourism for Peace and Development. It
will feature amongst others, discussions
on major issues for sustainable
development including the contribution of
Tourism to poverty reduction and peace.
The conference is a veritable platform to
develop synergy and partnership with
players in the global Tourism Industry
which will go a long way in boosting our
drive to diversify the Nigerian economy,”
it stated.