Abuja — Information and Communications Minister, Dora Akunyili, told the National Assembly (NASS) on Thursday that the Heart of Africa Project executed by her predecessors was a failure, despite costing the taxpayer more than N1.05 billion.
President Umaru Yar'Adua is expected to launch on Tuesday the logo and slogan of the Nigeria Re-branding Project, she said.
Akunyili, who apologised for lateness to a meeting on Tuesday, informed the NASS Joint Information Committee in Abuja that the ministry opted for the Re-branding Nigeria Project because Heart of Africa was not indigenous and did not work.
She told the Committee that despite the N1.05 billion appropriated for Heart of Africa since 2007, the ministry inherited a N19.5 million debt which would be paid from the N150 million voted for the scheme this year.
Her words: "It is no news that Nigerians all over the world have been painted with the same brush by the international community and that Nigeria is a country where nothing works.
"This negative perception about Nigeria was actually foisted on us by the international community and it stuck with us. We know that this is not true. We know that we have good Nigerians.
"The only way to address it was to re-brand Nigeria and talk positively about Nigeria. Heart of Africa Project did not work. It is no news that it did not work.
"In 2007, N750 million was appropriated. In 2008, it was N308 million, from which N299 million was spent, and Heart of Africa is still going on. This year, N150 million was appropriated. Heart of Africa is still owing N19.5 million, which we hope to pay from the money appropriated in this year's budget because government is a continuum.
"The name of the project was first used by Malawi. Some countries have been laying claim to being the heart of Africa. To ensure that the Re-branding Nigeria Project works, we intend to use Nigerians as the main components and to make sure that it is cost-effective.
"We intend to source money from the public sector, which is government, from the private sector, and the people of Nigeria. Re-branding Nigeria is not a jamboree for spending money. We intend to account for all funds."
Some drama happened when Akunyili showed up for the meeting with her entourage.
All lawmakers at Hearing Room 1, venue of the meeting, filed out immediately the team was seated.
They went to an adjacent room, the Senate Press Centre, where they took turns to express umbrage at being shut out of the Re-branding Project by the Information Ministry, as recounted by a source present at the meeting.
"Where is she getting the funding? Why are other members of the National Assembly who are not members of the Information Committees incorporated as members of the Re-Branding Nigeria Project?" they demanded.
But at the open meeting, the lawmakers were full of praise for Akunyili.
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Oh Geez! Akunyili is now behaving like Madam EFCC Farida. Badmouthing your predecessor in order to build her reputation seems to be the trademark of these women politicians. Unfortunately, Dora is re-branding an administration that may not last beyond 2011, if the Emperor does not resign b4 then. A visionless, cowardly Presidency that may turn out to be among the worst in the nation's history. Shagari even performed better than this one. I used to respect Dora but now...hmmmnn...I do not know what to think about the kind of cows and slaves she is trying to re-brand. Is her iron-brand marker lettered with "C" or letter "S" and is it going to be on the backside of the cow or on the cheek of the human face? Please stop using these slave terms - what are you trying to prove to the "slave-masters" that branded you in the first place, seconded by Colin Powell? Until we kick them out of the Niger Delta, please go "Sidon."