Presidency: FG Project Tour to Showcase ‘Unseen’ Achievements, Counter Misinformation
By Victor Idajili
The Presidency says its planned nationwide tour of federal projects is aimed at showcasing the Tinubu administration’s “unseen” achievements and correcting public misconceptions about government performance.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the tour became necessary because many Nigerians remain unaware of the scale of completed and ongoing infrastructure, health, and transport projects.
“A lot has been done, but people don’t know. That’s why we want journalists to see these projects directly,” Onanuga told reporters at a pre-tour briefing in Abuja on Monday.
He said journalists and other stakeholders will be taken to project sites nationwide to ensure accurate reporting and bridge the gap between implementation and public perception.
“People get surprised when they see reports of projects and say, ‘the government has done so much!’ The problem is lack of awareness,” he said.
Onanuga described infrastructure as the backbone of economic activity, noting that federal projects support farmers, traders, and transporters while improving regional mobility. He added that recent reforms have boosted allocations to states, enabling them to fund more capital projects.
“When you visit states, you’ll see both federal and state projects. Many states are now executing projects because reforms freed up more funds,” he said.
He condemned the vandalism of public assets, citing damage to newly completed road sections and rail facilities. “Infrastructure belongs to everyone. Its destruction hurts the entire country. We need greater public responsibility,” Onanuga said.
Tunde Rahman, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Special Duties, said the tour would address claims that the administration has neglected the North.
“There are claims the President has not delivered in the North. That is not correct. There are road networks, health facilities, and rail projects like the Kano–Maradi line,” said Rahman, who also directs media for the Renewed Hope Ambassadors.
He said a new digital platform now provides verified information on government projects, allowing citizens to track interventions in their areas.
Dr. Rabiu Ibrahim, Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of Information, stressed the need for grassroots communication.
“We want an ordinary Nigerian in a village to point to a project and say, ‘this is a Federal Government project in my community’,” he said. “If you don’t communicate, people won’t appreciate what’s being done. Others will shape the narrative.”
Ibrahim listed key projects in the Northwest, including road works, rail expansion, and the near-completed Abuja–Kaduna–Kano gas pipeline. He added that the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) is already disbursing to beneficiaries through a digital system.
Sector officials said citizens are beginning to feel the impact of reforms.
Engr. Finbarr James Zirra, Director of Railway Transportation Services, said rail modernisation is reducing highway congestion by moving freight off roads, while new corridors are improving movement of goods and people.
Health sector advisers Chinedu Moghalu and Nasiru Mohammed said reforms are expanding access to care, boosting local drug production, and attracting investment to health facilities.
“The emphasis is on visibility. Nigerians should see and feel the results of government interventions in their communities,” Moghalu said.
