In keeping with his assurances of cutting the bulky cost of governance in Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has slashed the number of people accompanying him on local and foreign trips by 60 percent.
The new development also affects his Vice President, Kashim Shettima and the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu.
Government officials in Nigeria are known for their flamboyant and unwarranted entourage during official trips. During the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, UAE, in 2023, Tinubu travelled to Dubai with a train of 1,411 Nigerian participants, the third largest among the 198 country participants and the highest in Africa.
Going forward, only 20 people will accompany the President on foreign trips while the VP and First Lady will be accompanied by five persons each. On local trips, the President will have a 25-man escort; 15 for VP and 10 for First Lady.
Ministers are only allowed to travel with a maximum of four officials for foreign trips and heads of agencies are allowed only two officials. The move, presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngalale said, is the President’s way of bringing “total sanity and prudence to the management of the Commonwealth of our people.”
Read more: https://blueprint.ng/tinubu-tackles-cost-of-governance-slashes-travel-estacodes-by-60/
—Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
