By Olusegun Olanrewaju and Cross Udo
To curb arrogant displays of power, perks, and cost-cutting, the Federal Government yesterday ordered its officials to trim the number of vehicles in their convoys.
President Bola Tinubu issued the order through his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy statement, Bayo Onanuga.
*Reduces official vehicles in convoys to three for ministers, MDAs
Courtesy of the latest order, Ministers, Ministers of State, and Heads of Agencies of the Federal Government are now restricted to a maximum of three vehicles in their official convoys.
The statement added that no additional vehicles would be assigned to these categories of public officers for movement.
*Presidency says directive part of cost-saving measures
According to the statement, “The cost-cutting measure was announced today in a statement signed by the President.”
It will be remembered that, in January, President Tinubu took some ‘significant steps’ to reduce government expenditures.
This includes reducing the presidential entourage from 50 to 20 officials on foreign trips.
Local trips now have 25 officials as benchmarks.
Tinubu equally reduced the Vice President’s entourage to five officials on foreign trips and 15 for local trips.
In the directive issued yesterday, the President also gave marching orders to all ministers, ministers of state, and heads of agencies to have, at most, five security personnel attached to them.
The security team will comprise four police officers and one Department of State Services (DSS) officer.
“No additional security personnel will be assigned,” Tinubu was quoted as having ordered.
As a compliance move, the President instructed the National Security Adviser (NSA) to engage with the military, paramilitary, and security agencies to determine a suitable reduction in their vehicle and security personnel deployment.
“All affected officials are expected to comply with these new measures immediately, underscoring the urgency and seriousness of these changes,” the statement added.
*Reactions over policy
Nigerians reacted to the directive on social media yesterday with differing notes of passion, some lauding, others busy lampooning.
One Ejiofor Samuel simply wrote, “Obi’s Policy/Ideas,” suggesting that the new directive is not original but a product of the ideas of the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Nigeria, Peter Obi.
Another, identified as Frank, stated on Linda Ikeji’s blogging site, “About Mr President, I’ve been your major critic, but this move is quite commendable!
“Also look at other areas, like (the) amount used in feeding dogs, entertainment, and cutting grass in Aso Rock.
A certain Óchíúwa wrote, “Ndi uchu (detested people), busy chasing nonentities. Tuehhh!
An anonymous writer penned “Right Direction.”
Hakeem Oyegoke has hesitant words to display, “Though this is commendable, I advise (that) this policy should be implemented when a lot has been done to combat the insecurity issue facing our nation. It will be a big slap to us as a country if it is heard that a minister has been kidnapped.”
Uromtus Uromtah’s answer is in a poser, “What is that supposed to mean?”
In the past, in January, the then-presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, announced President Bola Tinubu had slashed 60 percent of the travel expenditure of government officials in his administration.
Speaking with State House Correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Ngelale said the decision was part of the presidency’s cost-cutting measures.
He added that the decision would affect the office of the President, Vice President, First Lady, Ministers, and heads of agencies.
“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.”
He said, consequently, the President is limited to 20 staff outside the country.
He also said every minister would be limited to having just four members of staff on any foreign trip, while heads of agencies would be limited to just two.
Ngelale had also said that Tinubu would no longer travel with huge security delegations to any state in the country.
The presidential spokesman also added that if the President travels to any state, the state’s security will take care of his security, and the same applies to the vice president and other top government officials.
The reactions then were also varied. A commentator practically went bonkers, writing unrestrainedly, “Okay. Big thief fighting small thieves. I wish them all the best anyway.”
Yet another filed on the flipping side, waxing poetic. “Very Good Development. Slow and steady, we will get to the nation of our dreams. A land flowing with milk and honey. This is a very good one from the President.”
