In a bold statement, Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, has emphasized the urgent need for a substantial 60% reduction in Nigeria's governance costs. While acknowledging President Bola Tinubu's recent decision to cut the travel expenditure of government officials by 60%, Obi expressed reservations, pointing out that the move merely scratches the surface of the larger issue.
Obi questioned the lack of transparency regarding the actual savings resulting from the reduced entourage size during official trips. President Tinubu had announced the significant cut, impacting officials such as Vice President Kashim Shettima, First Lady Remi Tinubu, and ministers.
Taking to X platform, Obi stated, "The just announced 60% cut in the size of federal official entourages on travels is one positive step towards the reduction of cost of governance and a way of halting wastage. But this measure is just scratching the surface as it is limited in scope and can only lead to a very negligible saving."
While acknowledging the commendable aspect of the reduction, Obi stressed that the true impact would only be substantial if accompanied by a 60% reduction in both federal official overseas trips and the size of delegations. He highlighted the paramount need for a comprehensive 60% reduction in the total cost of governance at the federal level, emphasizing the necessity to revise the recently passed federal budget by eliminating wasteful and unnecessary expenditures.
In articulating his perspective, Obi underscored that such a level of cost-cutting was imperative to meaningfully address the current economic challenges, ultimately leading to substantial savings for the nation.
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