By Zainab Rauf, Abuja The Presidency has issued a stern response to a recent editorial by Daily Trust, accusing the newspaper of...
By Zainab Rauf, Abuja
The Presidency has issued a stern response to a recent editorial by Daily Trust, accusing the newspaper of “exaggeration, distortion, and selective pessimism” in its portrayal of the nation's economic challenges under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a statement re-issued on Thursday, August 7, 2025, by Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, the Federal Government rejected the editorial’s claim that Nigeria is overwhelmed by “hunger, hardship, and helplessness,” calling the assessment misleading and unbalanced.
“The Tinubu administration believes in the right of the media to offer constructive criticism, but it must be anchored on facts, not distortion or selective pessimism,” the statement read. “The Daily Trust has on several occasions breached this rule by misrepresenting government policies and actions—a trend for which the newspaper has publicly apologised at least twice.”
While acknowledging that some Nigerians are indeed facing economic difficulties, the Presidency insisted that many of the administration’s policies—though painful—are designed to lay the foundation for a more stable and prosperous future.
“Misrepresentations, selective use of projections, and alarmist narratives do not serve the public good; they distract from the genuine progress underway nationwide,” the statement said.
Clarifying the Food Security Data
One of the key points of contention was the editorial’s citation of a UNICEF projection stating that 33 million Nigerians could face hunger in 2025. The Presidency clarified that the figure, attributed to UNICEF, was in fact from a joint Cadre Harmonisé report—a worst-case scenario assuming no mitigation measures are taken.
According to the statement, the Federal Government has already released over 42,000 metric tons of grains from strategic reserves, activated the Food Security Council, and scaled up emergency nutrition support in key northern states.
The Presidency also reminded critics that food insecurity is a global problem, citing the World Bank's April 2025 update which noted that over 1.4 billion people worldwide are facing food stress.
On the Naira and Economic Recovery
Responding to the editorial’s claim that the naira is “worthless,” the government said such language is false and misleading. It noted that the naira has rebounded significantly—from a low of ₦1,800/$ in March 2024 to around ₦1,525/$ as of August 1, 2025.
This recovery, the statement argued, was due to increased oil receipts, higher remittances, investor confidence, and Central Bank reforms which cleared over $4 billion in FX backlog.
Social Protection and Tax Reforms
The Presidency also dismissed claims that the administration’s social safety programmes are fading. It stated that over 9.8 million children are currently enrolled in the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, with over 200,000 cooks and local farmers engaged nationwide.
In addition, more than three million households have received ₦75,000 each under the Renewed Hope Conditional Cash Transfer initiative, while over 396,000 students have benefited from tuition support under the NELFUND scheme.
“Hope is in the stabilising naira, in three million families lifted by direct transfers, and about 400,000 students now schooling without fear of paying fees,” the statement added.
Tax reforms were also highlighted, with the administration announcing the streamlining of over 60 taxes into simpler channels starting January 2026, alongside exemptions on essential goods and harmonisation efforts with state governments.
Ward-Level Development Programme Unveiled
The statement further announced a new initiative—Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme—aimed at economic transformation at the grassroots level. The programme, endorsed by the National Economic Council (NEC), targets all 8,809 wards in Nigeria, focusing on food security, rural infrastructure, and job creation.
“This administration does not ask for silence in the face of hardship. It asks only for fairness and a shared commitment to rebuilding this country—not just exaggerating its pain,” Mr. Dare concluded.
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