The United States Agency for International Development
(USAID), has said it never at any time applauded the federal government (FG)
for allegedly exiting recession.
It also said the statement credited to USAID in the Thursday
edition of Leadership Newspaper, was false, even as it said the David Musa who
was quoted in the publication is not affiliated with USAID and has no authority
to speak on its behalf.
Musa was reported to have said that the second quarter
report of the National Bureau of Statistics which indicated that Nigeria was
out of recession was a welcome development.
Musa who was referred to as the Team Leader of USAID Bee
Keeping Pollination Project in the publication, had said “the report of the
National Bureau of Statistics has credibility because farmers, especially bee
farmers are now selling more and making more profit.
“We are happy for this but the government must strengthen
the ease of doing business, public policies, help the private sector to deliver
wide impact to sustain the exit.”
But in an electronic mail sent to Daily Sun, the Press
Attaché (Spokesperson), Embassy of the United States of America, Russell
Brooks, said “the story in today’s Leadership concerning USAID applauding the
FG on exiting recession is false.
“The person being quoted, David Musa is not affiliated with
USAID and has no authority to speak on its behalf. He’s a fraud and obviously
the journalists did not do their homework.”
Recall that the FG, through the National Bureau of
Statistics, had in August 2016, confirmed that the nation had slipped into
recession.
The release by the National Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday
that the nation has exited recession drew comments from different segments of
the country just as it did earlier.
By AIDOGHIE PAULINUS
