Tinubu bars Ministers from foreign travel for 3 months, leaves intact cost of governance
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Bola Tinubu has barred Ministers and other government officials from foreign travel for three months, ostensibly to reduce the cost of governance, but without really touching the huge wastes and leakages that mount up government expenditure.
For starters, this President has a cabinet of 48 members, the largest in Nigeria’s recent history, and the Ministers and their aides together gulp millions of naira from the treasury with nothing to show for it in performance.
Tinubu can easily slash the bloated cabinet and save funds to investment in power supply and other social infrastructure that would enable Nigerians to be more productive and grow the economy.
Therefore, the (temporary) travel ban is a token that fails to genuinely cut the cost of governance demanded by Nigerians, and there is even no guarantee the directive will be followed in full by all officials.
Tinubu himself has violated his own travel rule and has also broken the law by allocating funds for positions not contained in the Constitution, so he lacks both the integrity and the moral authority to enforce the ban on his officials. They will simply laugh him off behind his back and find their way round the gimmick.
He went to Qata this March with 38 officials, among them his two sons Seyin and Yinka, who are not government officials – breaking his own rule made in January that he would henceforth travel oversees with only 20 individuals.
Giving and collecting bribe as well as funds diversion and mismanagement are all still rife in ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) besides funds leakages and wastages.
For his own political benefit, Tinubu has allocated funds to at least three positions that are not recognised in the Constitution:
- Office of First Lady (his wife) – N1.5 billion (2023 supplementary budget).
- Office of Chief of Staff to the President – N21. 22 billion (2024 budget).
- Traditional rulers – N7.61 billion (2024 budget), for the “empowerment of traditional rulers”, another expression for currying favour with them to rig election for him in 2027.
Tinubu also in the 2023 supplementary budget allocated N110 billion to federal lawmakers as part of fuel subsidy palliative, from which fund the lawmakers bought luxury SUVs. The money was a bribe for them to rubber stamp his wishes.
In contrast, Tinubu – except making promises – has not done a single concrete thing to benefit poor people in all of his 10 months in office as President.
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Temporary travel ban begins April 1
The travel ban on Ministers begins on April 1, according to a directive the President gave through a letter his Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila wrote to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) George Akume.
“Mr. President has concerns about the rising cost of travel expenses borne by Ministries, Department and Agencies [MDAs] of Government as well as the growing need for Cabinet Members and heads of MDAs to focus on their respective mandates for effective service delivery,” the letter said.
“Considering the current economic challenges and the need for responsible fiscal management, I am writing to communicate Mr President’s directive to place a temporary ban on all public funded international trips for all Federal Government officials at all levels, for an initial period of three (3) months from Is April 2024.
“This temporary measure is aimed at cost reduction in governance and intended as a cost-saving measure without compromising government functions.
“All government officials who intend to go on any public funded international trips must seek and obtain Presidential approval at least two (2) weeks prior to embarking on any such trip, which must be deemed absolutely necessary.”