President Bola Tinubu’s order to reduce government expenses, according to the Accord Party in Lagos State, will rescue the Nigerian economy and inspire hope among the general populace.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday, Mr. Dele Oladeji, the party’s State Chairman, stated as much.
Reducing the number of officials traveling with the president and other high-ranking government officials both domestically and abroad, according to Oladeji, is praiseworthy.
He claims that although the president’s order is long delayed, it will save the economy and offer the general public optimism. The high cost of governance is the main issue the country is currently experiencing.
“The slash on number of entourage and estacode cost is a welcome development. Nigeria needs to cut a lot of costs on frivolous practices.
“While we support Mr President on this, we want more to be done to reduce costs of governance for the ordinary Nigerians to breathe,” Oladeji said.
Recall that the Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Ajuri Ngelale, on Tuesday announced that the step was part of Tinubu’s “massive cost-cutting measures.”
According to Ngelale, the federal government’s entire machinery is impacted by the cost-cutting initiative, including the president, vice president, and first lady’s offices.
“According to the new policy, the President directed that local security agencies should be used for his protection whenever he travels to any state instead of traveling with a high number of security details from Abuja.
“He also stated that the same measure should be adopted for both Vice President Kashim Shettima and First Lady, Remi Tinubu.
“Tinubu said that when any international travel was being approved, all ministers were limited to four members of their staff, appointees and the like.’’
According to the president’s spokeswoman, chiefs of government agencies would only be allowed to bring two staff members on each given trip going forward.
Giving a more detailed explanation, Mr. Ngelale stated that Tinubu had instructed that no more than 20 people be permitted to travel with him on any foreign trip.
Ngelale said: “That number will be cut down to five in the case of the First Lady.
“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.”
In terms of local trips, Mr Ngelale said the President had “approved a new limit of 25 members of staff to accompany him on domestic trips within the country.
“The Office of the First Lady is now limited to 10 staff members to accompany her on official trips within the country.
“The Vice President will be limited to 15 members of staff on official trips within the country, while his wife will be limited to 10 members of staff”.
