President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has implemented a new directive aimed at reducing the cost of governance by placing strict limits on the number of vehicles and security personnel allocated to ministers, ministers of state, and heads of federal agencies.
The announcement, which came on Thursday, represents a continuation of the president’s efforts to curb government spending and streamline official operations.
In a statement titled, ‘President Tinubu issues new directives on reduction in cost of governance,’ and signed by the President himself, Tinubu emphasized the importance of minimizing unnecessary expenditure within government operations.
“No additional vehicles will be assigned to them for movement,” the statement affirmed.
The directive specifically limits the official convoys for ministers, ministers of state, and heads of agencies to a maximum of three vehicles. This measure marks a significant reduction in the size of official entourages, which have traditionally been larger.
Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, highlighted that this move is part of the administration’s broader commitment to reducing government expenditures.
“The cost-cutting measure was announced today in a statement signed by the President,” Onanuga said, stressing the importance of these adjustments for maintaining a more sustainable budget.
Alongside restrictions on the number of vehicles, President Tinubu’s new directive also places a cap on the number of security personnel assigned to government officials. Ministers, ministers of state, and heads of agencies will now be permitted a maximum of five security officers. This security team will consist of four police officers and one officer from the Department of State Services (DSS). The directive explicitly prohibits assigning additional security personnel beyond this allocation.
The earlier directive saw a reduction in the president’s entourage on international trips from 50 to 20 officials, while delegations for domestic trips were scaled back to 25. Similarly, the Vice President’s entourage was limited to five officials for foreign travel and 15 for domestic travel.
The president’s latest directive has been framed as part of a broader vision to ensure that public resources are utilized judiciously, particularly in the face of economic challenges. “This is a continuation of our efforts to reduce the cost of governance and ensure that resources are channeled to areas of need,” the statement noted.
