Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, has defended President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, claiming that he does not notice the level of hunger that is frequently highlighted in public discourse.
Speaking on Arise Television on Tuesday, Onanuga stated that various government programs and infrastructure projects are already benefiting individuals across the country.
He mentioned improvements in road infrastructure as one of the administration’s evident results, citing a recent trip from Ibadan to Lagos.
He said, “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?’”
According to Onanuga, residents in the area have reacted positively to the development.
“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 spokesman also mentioned the continuing coastal highway improvement, which he said has improved travel for many commuters, including himself.
“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.
He questioned critiques of government performance, saying, “Is that not beneficial? What are people talking about, really?”
Onanuga also cited the federal government’s student loan initiative and workers’ access to low-interest credit facilities as examples of policies aimed at relieving financial strain on Nigerians.
“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 is about seven percent. Now people can access that loan at a single digit. Are they not benefiting as well?” he asked.
He maintained that public discussions regarding the economy frequently miss some of the administration’s successes.
“We have been pigeonholed into certain assumptions, certain conclusions,” he said.
Onanuga also recalled a viral video from the early days of the Tinubu government that contained a voice-over implying severe famine in Nigeria.
“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 conceding that Nigerians suffer economic challenges, the presidential adviser stated that his personal encounters with those around him do not represent the amount of hardship commonly depicted in public conversations.
“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.
