The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has lauded the effort, of President Muhammadu Buhari for the immediate approval for the implementation sweeping cost saving which is aimed at instilling financial prudence, partially on government trips.
In a statement by the Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Lanre Issa-Onilu, he commended the President on the new directive to heads of Government agencies and ministers to suspend all foreign trips until they defend their budget.
The statement said “This will not only foster legislative-executive relations but also ensure that budget passage is speedy and returned to the January-December cycle.
“This is another fulfillment of the president’s election promise to cut the costs of governance, curb leakages, end impunity and ensure adherence to the rule of law by all departments of government.
“To list a few of the approved measures to instill financial discipline and prudence on government trips, all public-funded trips must be strictly for official purposes and must be backed with documented evidence.
“The classes of tickets approved for government officials on official trips have been clearly spelled out. In effect, Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants to the President, Chairmen of Extra-Ministerial Departments and Chief Executive Officers of Parastatals are allowed to fly Business Class. Other categories of Public Officers are to travel on Economy Class.
“The government will no longer fund extended stays. The duration of official trips is limited to only the number of days of the event as contained in the supporting documents to qualify for public funding.
“Clearly, the era of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s governments when ministers and other senior government appointees splashed our commonwealth on private jet trips, first-class tickets and limousines to ferry family and cronies around are over. Our public resources are now being rightly deployed to address our national infrastructure needs, social investments and other initiatives that directly benefit the people.
“The APC administration remains resolute in fulfilling its promises to the people of Nigeria”.