Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru has urged the Federal Government to implement stricter controls on social media usage to combat the spread of misinformation, while also advocating for increased youth participation in agriculture to address idleness and economic frustration.
Governor Nwifuru made these remarks on Friday in Abakaliki during a courtesy visit by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who was in the state to inspect federal projects.
The governor emphasized that engaging young people in practical agriculture would redirect their energy toward productive activities and reduce their susceptibility to harmful online behavior.
He argued that social media restrictions are necessary to curb the circulation of unverified information that could undermine national development.
“While growing up as a young man, it was always a thing of joy to own a farm, but these days, youths hardly engage in agricultural activities. It is high time we put serious restrictions, especially on unfounded stories. You go to social media and see posts declaring someone dead while the person is hale and hearty, yet the writer faces no sanction. This is not how a country should operate,” Nwifuru stated.
He clarified that the government is not seeking to suppress youth expression but rather to protect them from the damaging effects of false narratives.
Turning to national politics, Governor Nwifuru praised the administration of President Bola Tinubu, noting that many of its achievements across various ministries remain underreported.
He highlighted the appointment of David Umahi, an Igbo man, as Minister of Works—a first since Nigeria’s independence in 1960—and commended Umahi’s dedication to infrastructure development.
“He left his signature in Ebonyi State, which will be hard for anybody to erase, and we are proud and confident that he will leave the same signature in the Federal Ministry of Works,” Nwifuru said.
Expressing optimism about Tinubu’s re-election prospects in 2027, the governor cited the president’s strides in infrastructure and human capital development, including the Nigeria Education Loan Fund, which has already benefited over 400,000 students. Ebonyi State has also launched its own postgraduate scholarship scheme to support advanced studies domestically and abroad.
In response, Minister Idris reiterated the federal government’s commitment to improving living standards and economic opportunities. He highlighted NELFUND’s role in providing accessible education financing, with over N86 billion approved for the initiative.
“This is one of such programmes that President Tinubu has designed for all Nigerians to participate; you don’t have to know anybody to be a beneficiary of the programme,” Idris said.
The minister’s delegation also inspected ongoing federal projects in Ebonyi as part of efforts to assess and communicate the administration’s developmental progress.
