President Bola Tinubu has ordered for the implementation of a 60 per cent reduction in the travel expenditure of government in his administration.
This was disclosed by the presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, while addressing State House Correspondents at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday.
Ngelale explained that the decision is part of the presidency’s cost-cutting measures aimed at streamlining expenditure.
He emphasised that the directive will impact the travel budgets of the President, Vice President, First Lady, ministers, and heads of various government agencies.
Stating that the reduction was not a mere request but a firm directive, Ngelale highlighted that all state entourages are to be notably curtailed.
He underlined that the offices of the president, vice president, and their respective appointees will all be subject to the directive.
According to Ngelale, “Tinubu has directed that all state entourages be drastically reduced. This is not a request. It is a directive. The office of the president and staff will be affected. VP, appointees are affected.
“By this directive, there will be a slashing of expenditure on official travel by 60 per cent.”
As a result, President Bola Tinubu has imposed specific limitations on the number of accompanying staff for official travels outside Nigeria.
According to Ngelale, the President will now be accompanied by a maximum of 20 staff members during international trips.
Moreover, each minister has been instructed to restrict their entourage to only four staff members when embarking on foreign journeys, while heads of government agencies are now limited to a maximum of two accompanying personnel.
Ngelale also revealed that Tinubu has abolished the practice of extensive security delegations when visiting states within the country.
The President has directed that, in the event of his visit to any state, the local security apparatus will be solely responsible for his security.
The directive similarly applies to the Vice President and other high-ranking government officials.
