Abuja, Nigeria: Nigeria’s Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, defended the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu during a broadcast on Arise Television on Tuesday.
Okay News reports that Onanuga stated he does not personally observe the level of hunger frequently discussed by the public.
The presidential spokesman cited improvements in road infrastructure as a visible outcome of the administration’s policies, recounting a recent trip from Ibadan to Lagos where he bypassed traffic by traveling through Ijebu-Ode and Shagamu. He said, “One day, I was traveling 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.”
He also referenced the ongoing coastal highway project near his residence in Ajah. “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,” he said.
The aide pointed to the Federal Government student loan initiative and low-interest credit facilities for civil servants as measures designed to ease financial pressure. “If you are a civil servant and you can access the credit card, very cheap loan at below interest, it is about seven per cent. Now people can access that loan at single digit. Are they not benefiting as well?” he asked.
Addressing public discussions about the economy, he attributed some complaints to a viral video from the early days of the administration. “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.
