Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi has called for the introduction of restrictions on social media activities to curb the spread of misinformation and foster national development.
Nwifuru made the call in Abakaliki on Friday at a stakeholders’ engagement attended by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris during a courtesy visit to the governor.
He noted that many young Nigerians had become disconnected from practical agriculture and that hunger and frustration often found expression on social media.
> “When we were growing up, young people found pride and joy in farming. Today, many do not believe in farming, and when hunger strikes, they go to social media to vent their anger. A hungry man is an angry man,” he said.
The governor stressed the need to engage youths in productive ventures, especially agriculture, while also ensuring that social media platforms were regulated to check fake news.
> “We are not trying to control our youths; we are trying to protect them. It is high time we placed serious restrictions, especially on unfounded stories. You see posts claiming someone is in the mortuary when the person is hale and hearty, and the writer faces no sanction. No country operates like this,” Nwifuru said.
He urged the Ministry of Information to take decisive steps to address the spread of falsehood online, which, he warned, was creating unrealistic expectations about government responsibilities.
On the performance of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Nwifuru said activities of many ministries were underreported, giving the impression that only the Ministries of Works and the Federal Capital Territory were active.
> “All ministers are working very hard; there is no redundant ministry under this administration. Unfortunately, the efforts of some are not being adequately reported,” he said.
The governor expressed pride that, for the first time since Nigeria’s independence, an Igbo man was appointed Minister of Works and was directly executing his mandate without interference.
Nwifuru pledged Ebonyi’s total support for Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, citing the president’s achievements in infrastructure and human capital development.
He also commended the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which has so far enrolled more than 400,000 students, describing it as a laudable initiative that would benefit the masses.
According to him, the Ebonyi government has also introduced a postgraduate scholarship scheme to train indigenes at the master’s and doctorate levels, both locally and abroad, alongside improved infrastructure and staffing in secondary schools.
