Govt’ll Improve Media Communication, Engagement For Public Understanding On Economic Policies — Oyedele

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ABUJA – The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minis­ter of the Economy, Tai­wo Oyedele, has pledged the Federal Government’s com­mitment to improve its commu­nication and engagement with the media to enhance public understanding of its economic policies and agenda.

The Minister made this com­mitment on Thursday during a meeting with members of the Executive of the Finance Corre­spondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN) Abuja.

The Minister, who noted that there was a significant amount of misunderstanding of govern­ment policy among members of the public, particularly regard­ing economic matters, said the government was determined to reverse the trend by working closely with the media, particu­larly financial journalists, to help educate the public.

He explained that the Min­istry of Finance would take the initiative in projecting informa­tion about its activities, rather than allowing the narrative to be shaped by the State House or oth­er groups, saying this was part of the reasons he accepted to meet and interact with the FICAN.

“There’s a lot of things we’re doing, and there’s a lot more we will do. We wanted to be the ones who would project it, rather than getting it from the State House or other groups,” he said.

“This meeting was aimed at improving efficiency and agree­ing on how the government will communicate and engage with the media to enable us to work together more effectively,” he added.

The Minister emphasized that public service required transpar­ency and accountability, stressing that the government has a duty to explain to the public what it is do­ing, particularly its policies and decisions, even on matters where there may be disagreement.

He said this should be done in a responsible and transparent manner, with the media playing a central role in the process.

He revealed plans by the gov­ernment to embark on public education initiatives, noting that its impact in reaching Nigerians would be limited without the sup­port of the media.

Journalists, particularly members of FICAN, he said, would be key partners with his Ministry in helping to educate citizens about government eco­nomic policies.

Speaking on the level of public misunderstanding of government economic policy, the Minister said an informed citizenry was better positioned to better hold the government accountable.

He argued that vague criti­cisms on social media, such as accusations of corruption with­out specifics, did little to drive ac­countability, whereas factual, ev­idence-based feedback was more likely to prompt the government to positive action.

He cited a common mis­conception among Nigerians regarding the country’s foreign reserves, explaining that funds held in reserves could not simply be spent domestically to address economic hardship.

He said such misunder­standing led citizens to direct misplaced anger at the govern­ment over issues that could not be resolved in the manner being suggested, resulting in wasted energy without addressing the underlying problem.

The Minister clarified that the government was not asking the media to portray its policies in an entirely positive light, noting that doing so would be counter­productive.

Rather, he urged journalists to be constructive and balanced in their reportage, while basing their assessments on facts and verifiable impact.

He also hinted at further en­gagements with the media in the coming weeks and months as part of the government’s re­newed communication strategy, and challenged journalists to reflect on how information con­sumption shapes public percep­tion of governance.

Responding on behalf of the Association, the Chairman of FICAN Abuja, Mr. Bassey Udo, commended the Minister for his longstanding relationship with the media, recalling his availabil­ity to engage journalists during the tax reform process, including a session in Abuja where the Min­ister responded at short notice, a gesture he said members of the Association still appreciated.

Udo assured the Minister of FICAN’s continued cooperation in helping the government pub­licize its activities for the proper and effective education of the public, describing the media as a vital bridge between the gov­ernment and the people, and the primary channel through which citizens are informed about government policies and programmes.