The Accord Party in Lagos State said President Bola Tinubu’s directive to slash the costs of governance will save Nigerian economy and give hope to the masses.
The state chairman of the party, Mr Dele Oladeji, said this Wednesday in an interview in Lagos.
Oladeji said slashing the number of officials accompanying the president and other top government officials on foreign and local trips was commendable.
According to him, the president’s directive has been long overdue but it will save the economy and give hope to the masses. The major problem facing the nation is high cost of governance.
“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.
Presidential spokesperson, Mr Ajuri Ngelale, on Tuesday announced that the step was part of Tinubu’s “massive cost-cutting measures.”
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 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.’’
The president’s spokesperson said henceforth, heads of government agencies would be limited to two only two members of staff on any trip.
Giving a further breakdown, Mr Ngelale said for any international trip, Tinubu had directed that no more than 20 individuals will be allowed to travel with him.
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.”
