A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has slammed President Bola Tinubu over what he termed deceitful cost-cutting measures.
Frank argued that despite Tinubu’s initial directive to reduce his entourage by 60% during foreign trips, the President and Vice President have increased their foreign trips with large entourages.
Frank pointed out that while countries like Rwanda and Tanzania have made genuine efforts to reduce excessive government spending, Nigeria is moving in the opposite direction. He cited examples of lavish spending, including the purchase of a new presidential jet, a 300% increase in judicial officers’ salaries, and the acquisition of a N5 billion presidential yacht.
He said, “President Tinubu’s recent cost-cutting measures, including limiting ministers to three official vehicles and reducing their security personnel, are more superficial than substantive reforms.
“While these directives may suggest a commitment to fiscal responsibility, they fail to address the underlying issues of Nigeria’s bloated bureaucracy and excessive governance costs.
“Notwithstanding that his plan to merge agencies in line with the Steve Oronsaye Report has been jettisoned, he has also encouraged the National Assembly to approve the establishment of zonal development commissions, out of which he has assented to the North West and South East zonal intervention agencies’ bills.
“Besides, the President keeps creating ministries with multiple agencies—the latest being that of Livestock and Regional Development.
“The President is well aware that restricting ministers’ vehicles and security details does not tackle the systemic corruption that inflates government expenditures.
“Furthermore, his administration continues to prioritize lavish spending over meaningful reforms, like the purchase of a new presidential jet, the approval of a 300 percent increase in the salaries of judicial officers, the building of official quarters for judges being planned by the FCT, and the acquisition of a N5 billion presidential yacht.”
