The Labour Party (LP)under the leadership of Senator Nenadi Usman, has faulted President Bola Tinubu for awarding cash rewards to Nigeria’s Super Falcons in United States dollars instead of the country’s own currency, the Naira.
Tinubu had on national television, stated that each member of the winning women’s football team would receive a reward “equivalent to $100,000.”
Reacting, in a statement by her senior special adviser, Media, Ken Eluma Asogwa, Usman, described the decision as “utterly shameful” and “deeply unpatriotic.”
She said the president’s decision to reward the Super Falcons in US Dollars sends a dangerous message about the value of the Naira and reflects a lack of faith in the national currency.
The statement said “Naira has been one of the worst-performing currencies in Sub-Saharan Africa, depreciating by approximately 43% year-to-date. The Tinubu administration overseeing the free fall of the Naira, from N500 to over N1,500 to the dollar, ends up promoting a mindset that elevates the dollar over the national currency.”
She expressed concern that the president’s actions could further erode confidence in the Naira and undermine the country’s economic sovereignty.
The opposition party questioned the President’s patriotism adding that his action poses a moral burden on him to urge Nigerians to have faith in the currency.
The LP interim chairman called on the government to take steps to defend the Naira and restore confidence in the national currency.
