Tinubu bashers applaud him for cutting the cost of governance
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Bola Tinubu has found himself in the unfamiliar terrain of his bashers applauding him for something, as netizens have taken to social media to commend his cutting the travel encourage of the President, Vice President, and Ministers – presumably in the first stage of cutting the overall cost of governance, long advocated by Nigerians.
Tinubu on Tuesday reduced his entourage size 60 per cent for domestic and foreign travels, same applying to Vice President Kashim Shettima, and their wives, as well as Ministers, to cut excessive travel spending.
However, the Office of the First Lady which Remi Tinubu occupies is not constitutional, even though she has budgetary allocation, let alone the office of the wife of the Vice President.
The entourage cutting equally applies to all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), according to the announcement made in Abuja by Presidential Media and Publicity Adviser Ajuri Ngelale.
“President Bola Tinubu has approved that anywhere he travels within this country, he will no longer accept or allow huge security delegations to be following him from Abuja, which attract massive bills with respect to estacode and duty allowances,” Ngelale explained on Tuesday.
“The security outfits within states, be it police, the DSS or branches of the military, will frontline his protective detail when he travels to those states.
“He has approved a massive cost-cutting exercise that will cut across the entire Federal Government of Nigeria and the offices of the President himself, the Vice President and the Office of the First Lady. It will be conducted in the following fashion.
“On international trips, the President has directed that no more than 20 individuals be allowed to travel with him. That number will be cut down to five in the case of the First Lady.
“Additionally, the number in the entourage on official international trips for the Vice President will be cut to five. The number that will be placed as a limit on the wife of the Vice President is also five ….
“By this directive, every Minister will be limited to having not more than four staff members going with them to any event anywhere in the world.
“In the case of CEOs of agencies, they will be limited to two staff going with them to anywhere in the world.”
Asked what will be the consequences for any government official who violates the directive, Ngelale said:
“I believe we do not need to convince the officers of the Federal Government of Nigeria of the seriousness of the President with respect to how he will implement his directives.
“If there is anybody who feels that the directive of the President is not binding on them, who feels that the President will not uphold this directive in implementation and seeks to test it, they will do so at their peril.”
The directive comes five weeks after Nigerians criticised Tinubu for going with 1,114 delegates to the United Nation’s annual climate summit, COP28, in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.
Reports said the jamboree cost the treasury N2.78 billion in air fares and estacodes alone, not counting hotel bills.
The same Tinubu critics have now commended him on social media for doing the needful, as reported by The PUNCH.
@odonoh (X)
“Governors should emulate the president by cutting down the size of their entourage when they travel to reduce recurrent expenditure. President Tinubu, a leader by example.”
VivaDido (X)
“This is commendable, but wait, where would the saved money go to in the budget?”
PatoEner (X)
“This is a good one, thinking in line for a better funds management. What happened at the COP28 need not repeat itself again.”
St_Vin (X)
“Excellent move. I wonder what those defending the large [COP28] entourage will defend now.”
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Obi insists crooks and certificate forgers can’t lead Nigeria aright
Tinubu enlarging his media team won’t save his reputation, says Atiku
LP explains Obi can’t work with Tinubu admin for lacking integrity
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SodiqTade (X)
“If anyone believes Tinubu would reduce his entourage to 20 officials, then you are not a serious person. This is like the annual withdrawal of police officers from the VIPs.
“I commend him for even trying to put it on paper.”
ShuaibAzee16839 (X)
“That’s a good development. Thanks Mr President.”
GbengaSegu23029 (X)
“Honestly, that is what we want to hear from the president. This country needs a government that can play hard morality, hard legality and hard economics.
“No soft anything to play in this tough time. We thank God we have gotten a servant who is ready to do our priorities.”
Tinubu junkets
In their first seven months in office, Tinubu and Shettima have visited 16 countries and collectively spent 91 days in foreign engagements.
Tinubu has visited France (twice), the United Kingdom, Guinea-Bissau (twice), Kenya, Benin Republic, India, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Germany, spending 55 days.
Shettima has represented him in Italy, Russia, South Africa, Cuba, China and the US, logging 36 days abroad in 2023.
The Villa defended these trips as vital for attracting foreign investment to Nigeria, but critics question their economic impact, as some foreign companies are leaving the country because of unstable power supply, corruption, and other factors.