Buhari reduces foreign trips of ministers, heads of govt parastatal
The Presidency has approved a number of cost cutting measures aimed at curbing extravagance and bogus expenditures in the public service.
Although it was not clear what brought about the sudden change in practice, a memo by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha on Wednesday, in Abuja, gave indications that government was bent on blocking some of the loopholes through which funds are being fleeced from it’s coffers.
The SGF, through Willie Bassey a Director of Information in the SGF office, specifically noted that henceforth all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are required to submit their Yearly Travel Plans for statutory meetings and engagements to the Office of the SGF and/or the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.
After that, they would then wait for express clearance within the first quarter of the fiscal year, before they can embark on such trips.
The SGF also noted that the President approved certain criteria for Class of Air Travels, saying Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants to the President, Chairmen of Extra-Ministerial Departments and Chief Executive Officers of Parastatals are entitled, to continue to fly Business Class.
However other categories of Public Officers are to travel on Economy Class.
The statement added that travel days will no longer attract payment of Estacode Allowances as duration of official trips shall be limited to only the number of days of the event as contained in the supporting documents to qualify for public funding.
