The Labour Party candidate in the 2023 presidential election Peter Obi has told the federal government to go beyond the 60 percent cut in travel allowances of officials, saying the current economic situation demands a similar percentage cut in the entire cost of governance.
Obi, who made the call on his x-handle described the recent announcement of 60 percent cut in the size of official entourages on travels by the federal government as a positive step towards the reduction of cost of governance and reducing wastage.
He advised the government to revisit the recently passed 2024 budget to cut all unnecessary items in the document.
“While this modest step may be somewhat commendable, what is desirable should be both a 60% reduction in federal official overseas trips as well as a 60% reduction in the size of delegations. Most importantly, what our current economic reality demands is a 60% reduction in the total cost of governance at the Federal Level.
“This level of cut in the cost of government should lead to substantial savings. Such savings should be used to fund the productive sectors of the economy and much-needed social investments, especially in three key areas: education, healthcare, and the migration of millions of Nigerians from poverty”.
Editor Oloyede Oworu