President Bola Tinubu Cuts Government Officials’ Travel Expenditure by 60%

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently announced a significant reduction of 60% in the travel expenditure of government officials.

This decision aims to streamline expenses and enhance fiscal responsibility in governance.

According to Ajuri Ngelale, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, the new travel guidelines stipulate that for foreign trips, the President will be accompanied by 20 persons, while the Vice President will have a team of just five. For local trips, the President will travel with 25 persons, the Vice President with 15, and the First Lady with 10.

However, during President Tinubu’s visit to Imo State for Governor Hope Uzodinma’s second term inauguration, reports surfaced that his entourage exceeded the announced limit of 25 for local trips.

Observers noted that such occurrences were expected, attributing them to potential resistance from civil servants and other politicians who might seek to maintain the status quo.

Commenting on the matter, Abuja-based communication strategist Murkthar Suleiman highlighted the challenge of vested interests within the civil service, emphasizing the need to address budget padding and unnecessary costs in governance.

He urged President Tinubu to consider scrapping certain Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to redirect funds towards infrastructure development and job creation.

Meanwhile, Senior Pastor Adewale Giwa of Awaiting The Second Coming Of Christ Ministry urged President Tinubu to heed the calls of Nigerians and further reduce the cost of governance.

Giwa emphasized the need to prioritize the country’s economic challenges by reducing excessive allocations to the National Assembly and state governors.

These developments reflect President Tinubu’s efforts to address fiscal discipline and streamline government spending, with observers and stakeholders offering insights on the practical challenges and opportunities associated with such reforms.