The Tinubu Media Support Group (TMSG) has welcomed President Bola Tinubu’s decision to ban foreign trips for senior government officials as a laudable move to check the frivolous use of public funds.
In a statement signed by its Chairman Jesutega Onokpasa, in Abuja, the group argued that the decision will have a knock-on effect on the cost of governance.
It said: “A laudable template has been laid by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for state Governors, who have the interest of the country at heart.
“Mr President’s decision to stop frivolous foreign trips at tax-payers expense is a welcome development that should have salutary effects on our foreign exchange reserve.
“Hitherto, the economy was managed in a manner suggesting that Nigeria had an inexhaustible foreign exchange reserves, leading to a near collapse of the Naira.
“Almost every department of Government was in a race to outspend one another as officials embark on frivolous foreign trips with costly Estacodes (allowance for official trips) for those on such trips.
“Agreements and discussions that should have been handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or our embassies abroad became duplicated at all levels.
“The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment was also treated as if it did not exist, as officials scrambled for scarce foreign exchange to spend abroad. This was a part from the cost of airline tickets for such trips.
“Now, it is becoming a different story with the firm resolve of President Tinubu to bring down the cost of governance.
“In addition to his recent resolve to implement the Oronsaye report by merging government agencies with overlapping functions, Nigeria is set to save a lot of funds from the gross wastage of the past. This is commendable.”
TMSG also urged the subnationals to take a cue from the President and put a similar structure in place.
