News

Tinubu Reduces Entourage On Foreign Trips To 20 Officials

Published

4 months ago

January 9, 2024

Editor

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday approved “cost-cutting” measures that involve slashing, by 60%, official entourage on local and international travels.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, revealed this while briefing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday.

Ngelale said the directive applied to the Offices of the President, Vice President, First Lady, Wife of the Vice President and all Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

He said, “President Bola Tinubu has approved that anywhere he travels within this country he will no longer accept or allow huge security delegations to be following him from Abuja, which attracts massive bills with respect to estacode and duty allowances from now on.

“He has approved a massive cost-cutting exercise that will cut across the entire Federal Government of Nigeria and the Offices of the President himself, the Vice President and the Office of the First Lady. It will be conducted in the following fashion.

“On international trips, the President has directed that no more than 20 individuals be allowed to travel with him. That number will be cut down to five in the case of the First Lady. Additionally, 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.”

This decision came five weeks after Nigerians criticised the Tinubu administration for participating in the United Nation’s annual climate summit, COP28, in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates with 1,114 delegates.

Although the Presidency said it sponsored only 422 delegates, reports say it spent N2.78bn on airfares and estacodes.

In their first seven months in office, Tinubu and Shettima visited 16 countries, collectively spending 91 days in foreign engagements, The PUNCH observed.

Checks revealed that Tinubu has so far visited Paris, France (twice); London, the United Kingdom; Bissau, Guinea-Bissau (twice); Nairobi, Kenya; Porto Norvo, Benin Republic; New Delhi, India; Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the United Arab Emirates; New York, the United States of America, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Berlin, German, spending 55 days.

Meanwhile, VP Shettima represented him in Italy, Russia, South Africa, Cuba, China and the US, logging 36 days abroad in 2023.

While the Presidency defended these trips as vital for attracting foreign direct investment into Nigeria, critics question the economic impact, particularly the size of the entourage.

But the President’s spokesperson told journalists that Tinubu is “determined to bring total sanity and prudence to the management of the commonwealth of our people.

“Henceforth, the President is insistent that the notion of government wastage and the notion that government officials will be allowed to conduct their affairs in a way that is different from what we are asking of Nigerian citizens with respect to prudence and cost management, those days are over.

“The President is insistent that the prudence of government officials must reflect the prudence of the Nigerian citizens.”

Revealing more details about the directive, Ngelale said, “The President has approved a new limit of 25 staff members to accompany him on domestic trips.

“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 on officials within the country.”

On the issue of the President travelling with an army of security personnel across states, Ngelale said henceforth, “the security outfits within states, be it police, the DSS or branches of the military, will frontline his protective detail when he travels to those states.” This also applies to the Office of the VP, the First Lady, and the VP’s wife.

He explained that the number of persons allowed to accompany each officer on international trips is less than those allowed on domestic trips because “international trips are far more expensive across the board.”

For the MDAs, Ngelale said ministers are now limited to four persons for foreign trips, while agency heads can only travel with two persons.

“By this directive, every minister will be limited to having not more than four staff members going with them to any event anywhere in the world. In the case of CEOs of agencies, they will be limited to two staff going with them to anywhere in the world,” he explained.

Asked what sanctions await those who defy this directive, the presidential aide replied, “I believe we do not need to convince the officers of the Federal Government of Nigeria of the seriousness of the President with respect to how he will implement his directives.

“If there is anybody who feels that the directive of the President is not binding on them, who feels that the President will not uphold this directive in implementation and seeks to test it, they will do so at their peril.”

News

Edo Govt Presents Confirmation Letters To 200 Education Managers

Published

36 mins ago

May 20, 2024

Editor

The Edo State Government has confirmed the appointment of 200 Education Managers into the State Civil and Public Service to strengthen its workforce and ensure effective service delivery.

The Executive Chairman of the Edo State Universal Education Board (SUBEB), Ozavize Salami, said this during a one-day engagement with over 400 education managers including education Secretaries and other basic education sector managers drawn from the 18 local government areas in the State, at the New Festival Hall, Government House, Benin City.

She noted that over the last quarter, SUBEB had an increase in students’ enrolment following engagement with different stakeholders in various communities, which led to an addition of 50,000 pupils in just over a term.

While presenting some of the confirmation letters to the beneficiaries, she said the State values performance and would continue to reward those who work hard.

The SUBEB Executive Chairman commended Governor Godwin Obaseki for his unwavering support for Edo SUBEB to undertake deep-rooted reform of the basic education sector.

Salami said the government has over the years, worked on ensuring the sustainability of the reforms of the basic education sector, noting: “As part of that sustainability plan, we employed and brought into the Edo State Civil Service Education Managers in the first phase of the EdoBEST programme, which kicked-off in 2018.

“In 2020, 200 staff were employed to strengthen that function. Two years later, many of them have completed their probation period as required by the Civil Service and today, we have given them their confirmation letters.”

Salami commended the education managers across the 18 local government areas of the State for the successes recorded in the enrolment of students in EdoBEST programme.

She noted: “Our success today has been made possible because we have the political will and backing of Governor Godwin Obaseki. EdoBEST has been stabilized over the years and the programme is working in Edo State.”

News

Oba Of Benin Accuses EFCC Of Corruption

Published

51 mins ago

May 20, 2024

Editor

The Oba of Benin, Ewuare II has alleged that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is aiding crimes in the country.

The monarch made the allegations when he received the new Benin Zonal Director of EFCC, Effa Okim in his Palace in Benin on Monday.

He cited a case involving unnamed former palace officials who were left off the hook after they were arrested for fraud and handed over to EFCC in Benin for investigation and prosecution.

The Oba alleged that some EFCC operatives allegedly handled the case with kid gloves, which led to the release of the culprits a few years ago.

The monarch, who did not name the palace officials, expressed shock that the EFCC investigators allegedly swept glaring evidence of fraud against them (the palace officials) under the carpet.

While tasking the commission to fight crime without fear or favour, the Oba added, “We want to draw your attention to one or two grey areas in your operations”.

“No matter how much you try to support the EFFC from the palace, It is very difficult because they seem to listen to other parties. What I have been told is that they take instructions from the highest bidder.

“You know that I have been known for speaking the truth. I was not happy about certain things that happened with your predecessor.

“We get news from everywhere. We try to assist the EFCC. I even wrote a letter to the then-chairman who was removed from office.

“I even sent an emissary to talk to him regarding certain elements in Edo State, particularly the palace.

“How can EFCC operatives, especially, the lady who handled the case I cited earlier behave like that? If I was asked to comment on her performance, I would score her zero. I do not know if she was doing an EFCC job or just dancing to the tunes of people who were giving her money.

“At the time we were trying to assist EFCC, the report we kept getting was negative and I was not happy about it,” Oba Ewuare II added.

The monarch, however, said the newly appointed Chairman of EFCC, Olanipekun Olukayode is on the path to greatness if he continues to demonstrate fidelity in his duties.

He also pledged the palace’s support to the state government in addressing social inequality and reducing social vices.

Earlier in his address, Okim appealed to the Oba to support advocacy against financial crimes with Edo State ranking second behind Lagos State in the financial crime index in the country.

Recalling the historical ties between his state of origin, Cross River and Edo State, he solicited prayers and royal blessings to enable him to discharge his duties diligently.

News

[JUST IN] N30,000 Minimum Wage: Labour Issues Two-week Ultimatum To Defaulting States

Published

1 hour ago

May 20, 2024

Editor

The organised labour comprising of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, on Monday, ordered state chapters to issue two weeks ultimatum to states that have failed to implement the old N30,000 minimum wage.

The NLC and TUC took this decision during a jointly held National Executive Council meeting which took place on Monday.

“NEC-in-session further directed all state councils whose state governments are yet to fully implement the N30,00 national minimum wage and its consequential adjustments to issue immediately a joint two-week ultimatum to the culpable state governments to avert industrial action,” NLC’s National President, Joe Ajaero; and TUC’s National President, Festus Osifo, said in a statement.

Speaking further, the unions also called for a one-day action in Anambra State following what was described as the failure of the state government to meet the demands of civil servants in the state.

“Consequently, the NEC-in-session accordingly reaffirms the NLC and TUC joint ultimatum earlier issued to the Anambra State Government by its Anambra State councils. It therefore directed all affiliates and workers in the state council to mobilise their members to ensure a successful action in the event the state government fails to meet the demands of workers by Thursday, the 23rd of May, 2024.

“In the event that the government fails to meet the demands outlined within the stipulated timeframe, the NEC authorises the leadership of the NLC and TUC to take appropriate actions, including but not limited to the mobilisation of workers for peaceful protests and industrial actions, to press home these demands for social justice and workers’ rights.

“NEC therefore calls on all affiliate unions, and workers including Civil Society Organisations across Nigeria to remain united and steadfast in solidarity during this critical period. Together, we shall prevail in our pursuit of a fair and just society that guarantees the dignity and well-being of all its citizens,” the statement added.

Details later…