EXPOSED! How Tinubu’s Minister Spends N1.8bn on Air Travel in Two Months Amid Austerity Concerns

In just two months, several ministries and agencies under the administration of President Bola Tinubu have collectively spent over N1.8 billion on air travel, estacodes, and duty tour allowances, sparking outrage and calls for stricter government spending policies.

A recent report from GovSpend has revealed that between July and September 2024, ministries such as the Ministry of Women Affairs, Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Federal Ministry of Finance, and several others expended a combined total of N755.88 million on Duty Tour Allowances. Additionally, they spent another N1.04 billion on air tickets, estacodes, and foreign trips, amounting to N1.8 billion in total.

 The Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy led the list with an expenditure of N322 million, followed by the Ministry of Finance with N187.2 million. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) spent N150 million, while the Ministry of Petroleum Resources recorded N108 million in travel-related expenses.

This spending spree occurred despite a prior directive from President Tinubu, dated March 2024, which imposed a three-month ban on publicly-funded international trips. The ban, which was aimed at curbing excessive spending by ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), expired at the end of June 2024, shortly before these figures were recorded.

 Civil society organizations have expressed concerns over what they describe as wasteful and unnecessary expenditures during a period of economic hardship. Debo Adeniran, Chairman of the Centre for Accountability and Open Leadership, criticized the government’s lack of restraint. He stated, “We understand that the Ministry of Blue Economy is new, but other ministries have been around long enough to avoid such lavish spending on foreign trips and seminars.”

Similarly, Okechukwu Nwaguma, Executive Director of the Rule of Law Accountability and Advocacy Centre, condemned the spending as a “misallocation of government resources” and urged a re-evaluation of government policies on travel and expenditure. Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative and Advocacy Centre, also weighed in, noting that despite the hefty expenditures, there has been no notable increase in foreign direct investment or tangible outcomes from these trips.

Government Response: Silence from Key Officials Attempts to get official responses from the ministries involved were unsuccessful. The Director of Information and Public Relations for the Ministry of Finance, Mohammed Manga, was unreachable, while the Director of Press and Public Relations in the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Olujimi Oyetomi, declined calls from the press.

While the public continues to grapple with rising inflation and economic challenges, the extravagant spending of government ministries has raised serious questions about the prioritization of resources. Many are now calling on the Tinubu administration to enforce more stringent measures on government spending to reflect the austere times facing the nation.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

SAD: Four Enugu Siblings Perish in Saturday's Fuel Tanker Explosion at Ugwu-Onyeama Enugu-Onitsha Expressway

Image
Four siblings from Ngwo, Enugu State, reportedly perished in the devastating fuel tanker explosion that occurred on the Ugwu-Onyeama Enugu/Onitsha Expressway on Saturday, January 25, 2025. It was reported that the siblings, who were traveling in their private vehicle to Enugu Metropolis, were among the many victims caught in the inferno that engulfed the road following the explosion. The victims included two boys who had recently returned home from abroad for a family housewarming celebration. Tragically, the entire family was inside their vehicle when the explosion occurred, and all four siblings were reportedly burned to ashes in the ensuing fire. Pictures of the siblings have surfaced, showing the faces of the young victims, and their family is in complete dismay over the devastating loss. Friends, neighbors, and relatives have expressed their shock and grief, as the family was excited to reunite after the boys' return. The incident has deeply affected the entire Ngwo, Enugu...
Read more

HAPPENING NOW: Popular Anambra Celebrity ‘juju master’, Akwa Okuko Arrested by Anambra Security Operatives

Image
Popular celebrity juju master, Akwa Okuko, also known as Akwa Okukotiwaraki, has been arrested by the Anambra State vigilante operatives, Agunaechemba. The arrest occurred on Saturday, as reported on Soludo TV’s Facebook page. He was arrested after being accused of preparing juju for kidnappers who disguise themselves as “yahoo boys,” terrorizing the state. A post on the platform stated, “Akwa Okuko tiwaraki n’Oba denies okeite and has been detained for further investigation by the Security Agency.” More details will follow...
Read more

BREAKING: Court Dismisses ‘rights Violation’ Suit Filed by ‘kidney donor’ Against Ekweremadu

Image
  ...Court Dismisses ‘rights Violation’ Suit Filed by ‘kidney donor’ Against Ekweremadu: A federal high court in Abuja has dismissed David Ukpo’s bid to overturn orders granting Ike Ekweremadu, the former deputy senate president, access to his biodata for use in a UK court. In a ruling delivered on Wednesday, Inyang Ekwo, the presiding judge, held that the applicant, Edo Civil Society Organisations (EDOSCO), lacked the legal right to institute the suit on Ukpo’s behalf. Ekwo held that the provision of article 3 (e) of the preamble to the fundamental rights (enforcement procedure) rules, 2009 (FREPR 2009), under which EDOSCO filed the suit, cannot be said to have granted any person without legal personality to sue or be sued in the court. The judge held that by the averments made by Bamidele Igbinedion, counsel to EDOSCO, “it is clear that the applicant in this case is Edo Civil Society Organisations (EDOSCO)”. “The counsel for the applicant knows this but cleverly avoided stating s...
Read more