President Bola Tinubu has slashed the number of officials that will accompany him and other top government officials on any foreign trip.
The measure, according to the Presidential Spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, is part of “massive cost-cutting measures.”
Speaking while briefing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday, Mr Ngelale said the cost-cutting exercise affects the entire apparatus of the federal government including the office of the President, vice president and the first lady.
According to the new policy, the President has directed that local security agencies should be used for his protection whenever he travels to any state instead of travelling 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.
“Additionally, when any international travel is being approved, the following limits have been placed on all ministers of the Federation. Four members of their staff, appointees and the like will be allowed to travel with a minister on an official trip,” Mr Ngelale said.
There was widespread criticism by many Nigerians after it was reported that Nigeria has one of the largest delegations to the recent COP28 Climate change conference held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The president’s spokesperson on Tuesday said henceforth, heads of government agencies will be limited to two only two members of staff on any trip.
Giving a further breakdown, Mr Ngelale said for any international trips, Mr Tinubu has directed that no more than 20 individuals will 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,” he said.
In terms of local trips, Mr Ngelale said the President has “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”.
Mr Ngelale explained that the number of officials on local trips is higher than those on foreign trips because international trips are costlier.
“ The President is determined to bring total sanity and prudence to the management of the Commonwealth of our people.
“As a result of this, the President has directed that every federal MDA also including the office of the president itself and the Office of the Vice President as well as the offices of the first and Second Ladies, are affected and bound by this directive of the president.
“Henceforth, the President is insistent that the notion of government wastage, the notion of recurrent expenditure being in excess, the notion that government officials will be allowed to conduct their affairs in a way that is different from what we are asking of Nigerian citizens with respect to prudence and Cost Management, those days are over,” Mr Ngelale said.
The presidential spokesperson said all heads of agencies are expected to comply strictly with the new directive or risk being penalised.
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