The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has defended the administration’s economic policies, insisting that Nigerians are benefiting from government programmes despite widespread concerns about hunger, hardship and rising living costs.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, Onanuga said he does not share the view that Nigerians are experiencing the level of hunger often portrayed in public discussions.
According to him, several initiatives introduced by the Tinubu administration are already making a positive impact on citizens’ lives.
Onanuga pointed to ongoing infrastructure projects, particularly road construction, as evidence of the government’s achievements.
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He recalled a recent trip from Ibadan to Lagos during which he diverted through Ijebu-Ode and was impressed by the quality of a newly constructed concrete road.
“One day, I was travelling from Ibadan to Lagos, and Google Maps told me that there’s a go-slow in the approach to Lagos, and I decided to take Ijebu-Ode via Shagamu.
“What struck me most was that I just found myself on a paved road, a concrete road. I said, ‘Wow, when was this one built?’” he said.
He said the development had changed perceptions among residents in the area, adding that many people now appreciate the benefits of improved infrastructure.
“I found that our people, I mean, our Ijebu people, have stopped complaining. I said, ‘Oh, no wonder they now have a brand new road that’s not just an asphalt road, a concrete road,’” he added.
The presidential aide also cited the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, saying it has significantly reduced travel time for commuters, including himself.
According to him, a journey that previously took more than two hours now takes just over an hour due to improvements in the road network.
“I live in Ajah. Anytime I go to Lagos, and I ask Google Maps to tell me how soon I will get home, Google Maps will tell me one hour, seven minutes. Before, it was two hours, 30 minutes, and the reason for that is that we now have a coastal road that has shortened my travel time.
“Is that not beneficial? What are people talking about, really?” he said.
Onanuga further highlighted the Federal Government’s student loan scheme, noting that families with children in tertiary institutions are benefiting from access to interest-free loans.
He also referenced low-interest credit facilities available to civil servants, arguing that such interventions are helping many Nigerians cope with economic pressures.
“If you are a parent and you have four children in university, and they’re able to access federal loans, which are interest-free, are they not benefiting?
“If you are a civil servant and you can access the credit card, a very cheap loan at below interest, it is about seven per cent. Now people can access that loan at a single digit. Are they not benefiting as well?” he asked.
The presidential spokesman maintained that discussions about the economy often focus solely on challenges while overlooking gains recorded by the administration.
“We have been pigeonholed into certain assumptions, certain conclusions.
“I think the President went to Lagos, he was coming from the Central Mosque, and somebody now did a voice-over saying ‘Ebi n pawa o,’ and that means we are hungry. Since then, people have been saying that,” he said.
While acknowledging that economic challenges remain, Onanuga maintained that the situation is not as hopeless as it is often portrayed.
He said his interactions with people around him do not portray any level of hunger as Nigerians are adapting to current realities and taking advantage of opportunities created by government programmes.
“I’m a Nigerian. I have people working for me privately. I don’t see the level of hunger people are talking about because I see them, and I keep asking them questions: how are things, how are they adjusting, what are the problems?” he said.
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