Recession exit: US denies praising FG

From AIDOGHIE PAULINUS, Abuja

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.