The Leadership of the Accord Party in Lagos has said President Bola Tinubu has raised the hope of the ordinary Nigerians in his administration, by giving directives to slash the costs of governance in the country.
Stating this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Wednesday, the State Chairman of the party, Mr Dele Oladeji, said the President will save the country’s economy and give hope to the masses.
According to Oladeji, slashing the number of officials accompanying the President and other top government officials on foreign and local trips was commendable.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Ngelale claimed that the president’s directive has been long overdue, adding that it will save the economy and give hope to the masses. The major problem facing the nation is the high cost of governance.
“The slash on the number of entourage and estacode costs 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.
Premium Politics reported that the Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, on Tuesday announced that the step was part of Tinubu’s “massive cost-cutting measures.”
Ngelale maintained that 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 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.
“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 Presidential Aide noted that henceforth, heads of government agencies would be limited to two only two members of staff on any trip.
According to him, for any international trip, Tinubu had directed that no more than 20 individuals would be allowed to travel with him.
He 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.”
He further explained 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,” Ngelale said.
