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Nigerians would soon smile- Bayo Onanuga
Bayo Onanuga, the Senior Special Adviser (SSA) on Media and Information Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, has raised the hope of Nigerians on the reforms being initiated and implemented by the President.
He said as a result of the several reforms by the Tinubu, cost of living would soon begin to come down.
The presidential spokesman noted that President Tinubu has not only introduced progressive reforms but also tackled challenges that previous administrations avoided.
He argued that two years cannot be used as a sufficient yardstick to fully measure the administration’s achievements, noting that policy experts typically assess the impact of policies over a period of 10 to 12 years.
“The President’s years in office began with clear policy directions and implementation. A lot of reforms have taken place across sectors. The President has laid down many fundamentals that would ensure growth,” he stated.
He acknowledged that while the positives of the President’s actions over the past two years were gradually trickling down, a significant paradigm shift had occurred in the economy, addressing many pre-existing problems.
Alluding to the pre-subsidy removal situation, Onanuga said: “There was no fuel. Many stations were saying no fuel, no fuel. What was happening at that time was that the NNPC had reached the bottom point. It had no money to import fuel, it claimed that it was owing suppliers about six billion dollars and the government was owing it about four trillion dollars. So, it could not import anymore.”
On the concerns being raced about borrowing, Onanuga clarified that it is a common practice globally, with even countries like the United States (U.S.) engaging in it.
“Nigeria has abundant resources that we are harnessing, but not as much readily available money as people might think,” he explained.
He stressed that borrowed funds were not squandered but rather used for their intended purposes, citing large-scale projects like the coastal roads that necessitate external financing due to their immense benefits.
Regarding currency devaluation, Onanuga explained that it is a universal economic principle, citing instances where even the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (U.S.) have resorted to it.
“Even UK and the U.S at some point devalued. These are economic principles that are universal and cannot be changed because it is Nigeria,” he asserted.
He added that the government had made tough decisions and simultaneously created opportunities through infrastructure development, noting that many ongoing road constructions were not initially part of the budget.
Onanuga stated that Nigeria had seen an increase in production and a rise in disposable income.
He pointed to companies like Nestle and Nigerian Breweries, which initially faced challenges but were now sourcing materials locally and reporting profits.
The presidential spokesman said: “This economy has opened up opportunities in many forms for Nigerians – those who can really exploit it. And they are making money.”
He gave examples of individuals who have made fortunes from exporting agricultural products like cocoa and even Zobo.
According to him, many companies are now investing and producing in Nigeria, and these positive shifts will soon become evident and tangible for all Nigerians.
Onanuga stressed the importance of public understanding of the economic context, saying: “we don’t do our people any good when we keep on pushing stories of gloom and doom without allowing them to see the truth, without allowing them to see the context, and without allowing them to know that there’s actually light at the end of the tunnel.”
Several candidates recently shortlisted for recruitment into the Nigerian Army from Imo State have sustained varying degrees of injuries after the vehicle conveying them to the Nigerian Army Depot in Zaria, Kaduna State, was involved in a road accident on Saturday.
The candidates were said to be travelling to the training institution to commence their basic military training when the accident occurred.
Military sources familiar with the incident disclosed that the journey was being coordinated under the supervision of Lieutenant Colonel P.D. Ngal.
A military source said the victims had successfully passed the recruitment process and were heading to the Depot Nigerian Army in Zaria to begin their recruit training before the accident disrupted the journey.
“The candidates from Imo State were on their way to the Depot Nigerian Army in Zaria to begin their recruit training when the accident happened this morning,” the source said.
Videos seen by our correspondent showed several injured candidates lying by the roadside and inside damaged vehicles as emergency responders and other travellers made frantic efforts to evacuate them.
Many of the injured candidates were subsequently rushed to nearby hospitals for medical attention.
As of the time of filing this report, the exact cause of the accident and the number of casualties had yet to be officially confirmed.
Benue State Police Command has condemned the killing of the Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Benue State chapter, Ardo Rabo Mohammed, and another man, Yakubu Isa, describing the attack as a senseless criminal act capable of undermining ongoing peace and security efforts in the state.
The victims were reportedly attacked by gunmen while returning from a security meeting along the Okwudu-Ogoli Road in Otukpo Local Government Area.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Udeme Edet, said the Commissioner of Police, CP Cletus C.N. Nwadiogbu, condemned the killings and expressed condolences to the families of the deceased.
“The Commissioner of Police strongly condemns in its entirety the brutal killing of the Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Benue State chapter, Ardo Rabo Mohammed, and one Yakubu Isa, who were reportedly attacked by unknown assailants while returning from a security meeting along Okwudu-Ogoli Road, Otukpo,” the statement read.
According to the police, the command has commenced a full-scale investigation into the incident, with tactical and intelligence teams deployed to track down those responsible.
The Commissioner assured residents that the command would leave no stone unturned in ensuring the perpetrators are identified, arrested and prosecuted.
He appealed to members of the public to remain calm, avoid taking the law into their own hands, and refrain from spreading unverified information capable of escalating tensions.
The police also urged anyone with credible information that could aid the investigation to report to the nearest police station or contact the command through its emergency lines.
Three bandits have been arrested in Benue state after a lady who they had kidnapped and released, identified them at a motor park and raised alarm.
The k!kidnappers came to Ihotu park to board a vehicle to Makurdi and were met by the lady they had earlier kidnapped and released after collecting ransom from her relatives.
They were even using a bag they collected from the girl. The girl raised the alarm, held one inside the vehicle, and two took to their heels, but were caught.
They had a ghana-must-go bag at the back of the vehicle. N11m was found inside the bag.
Following the confirmation of their identity by another lady who was also their victim, mob gathered around with the intent to beat them up and possibly set them ablaze.
But the park manager decided to invite the police and soldiers who rescued them and took them to their station.
It was later gathered that the Benue state Governor, Rev. Father Hyacinth Alia called and said he was interested in the case which made the police to take the apprehended bandits to Makurdi, the state capital.
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