Ministers’ overseas travels no more than twice a quarter
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Ministers are now to travel less, and business class, in a newly rejigged directive from Muhammadu Buhari he first issued to all federal public officials in 2019, which he himself has not kept to set an example.
His officials also did not obey the previous directive. Hence it is being reiterated.
The number and duration of overseas trips by Ministers and other officials and their special allowances are being cut to reduce the cost of running government, according to the new directive.
Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Information Director, Willie Bassey, said Buhari also cut down the number of persons who travel with Ministers and other officials.
Buhari had in 2019 reduced the frequent overseas trips by Ministers and top officials, Daily Trust wrote in an editorial on December 10, 2021.
“In a bid to curb leakages and ensure efficiency in the management of the resources of government, … Buhari has approved for immediate implementation additional cost-saving measures aimed at instilling financial discipline and prudence, particularly, in the area of official travels,’’ Bassey said in a statement at the time.
In the new directive this week, Buhari approved business class travel for Ministers and economy class for lower categories of officials.
“In a bid to curb leakages and ensure efficiency in the management of resources of government, Buhari has approved for immediate implementation, additional cost saving measures aimed at instilling financial discipline and prudence, particularly, in the area of official travels,” Bassey said in a new statement, per Nairametrics.
All Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are to submit their yearly travel plans for statutory meetings and engagements to the Office of the SGF and/or the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF) for clearance in the first quarter of the fiscal year before implementation.
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Ministerial entourage
When a Minister is at the head of a delegation, the size of such delegation shall not exceed four, including a director, schedule officer, and one ministerial aide, the directive said.
Every other delegation below ministerial level shall be restricted to a maximum of three.
Buhari directed that Ministers, permanent secretaries, special advisers, senior special assistants to the President, chairmen of extra-ministerial departments and chief executive officers of parastatals to continue to fly business class.
Other categories of officials are to travel economy class.
“Travel days will no longer attract payment of estacode allowances as duration of official trips shall be limited to only the number of days of the event as contained in the supporting documents to qualify for public funding.
“On the nature and frequency of travels, all public funded travels (local and foreign), must be strictly for official purposes backed with documentary evidence.
“In this regard, all foreign travels must be for highly essential statutory engagements that are beneficial to the interest of the country.
“Except with the express approval of Mr. President, Ministers, permanent secretaries, chairmen of extra-ministerial departments, chief executive officers and directors are restricted to not more than two foreign travels in a quarter.
“The Auditor General of the Federation has been directed to treat all expenditures that contravene these guidelines as ineligible.”
Buhari’s own travels
Buhari himself has travelled 130 times to 36 countries altogether, spending about 308 days since he became President on May 29, 2015, according to the Daily Trust editorial.
After the publication, Buhari junketed to Turkey on December 16 where he spent four days, during which Nigeria’s laziest President in history revelled in his 79th birthday festivity together with his wife, six Ministers, and other senior officials.
In total, by December 19, 2021, he had travelled 131 times to 37 countries where he spent about 312 days.
Another tracking by Sahara Reporters shows that Buhari – who enjoys dodging his official responsibilities – gallivanted to nine countries in the three months between September and December 2021.
He travelled to
- New York (September)
- Adis Ababa (October)
- Riyadh (October)
- Scotland (October)
- London (November)
- Paris (November)
- Pretoria (November)
- Dubai (December)
- Istanbul (December).
“On cost-benefit terms, the dividends of President Buhari’s visits have not been as spectacular as Nigerians expected. We are yet to see the direct foreign investments translate into jobs for our unemployed young men and women.
“Also, we have not witnessed the race by foreign industrial concerns to establish industries that will help boost technology transfer, raise our exports and gross domestic product,” Daily Trust said in the editorial.
“In fact, it is curious that while the president all too often finds reasons to embark on foreign trips at the slightest opportunity, he almost always needs to be persuaded to visit the states and communities within Nigeria that are deserving of his presence.
“Indeed, it has been observed that on the occasion he visits the states, he hardly stays long enough to make them meaningful to the people.
“We believe that in the remaining months of his tenure, President Buhari should cut down drastically, his foreign trips and should travel abroad only where it is absolutely necessary for him to do so.
“He should turn his attention inwards and undertake visits to states and communities in the country and engage with them more. The country and its citizens require his attention.”