APC: Buhari has ended era of private jets for govt officials 

The All Progressives Congress (APC) says President Muhammadu Buhari has ended the era of public officials lavishing Nigeria’s commonwealth on expensive trips.

The ruling party said unlike the era of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) when public officials flew private jets or first class at will, Buhari’s government is prudent with the nation’s resources.

The party said this on Thursday while reacting to the president’s new directives to top government officials regarding travels.

The federal government has made it clear to public officials that “travel days will no longer attract payment of Estacode Allowances as duration of official trips shall be limited to only the number of days of the event as contained in the supporting documents to qualify for public funding.”

Ministers, permanent secretaries, chief executive officers and directors in the ministry were also restricted to two foreign travels in a quarter, except there is approval from the president. 

In a statement, Lanre Issa-Onilu, APC spokesman,  said the development shows the president is fulfilling his campaign promise to “curb leakages.”

He said while the current administration is determined to reduce cost of governance, it would deploy resources saved to critical infrastructure that would benefit Nigerians.

“Clearly, the era of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s, governments when ministers and other senior government appointees splashed our commonwealth on private jet trips, first-class tickets and limousines to ferry family and cronies around are over,” Issa-Onilu said.

“Our public resources are now being rightly deployed to address our national infrastructure needs, social investments and other initiatives that directly benefit the people.

“This is another fulfilment of the president’s election promise to cut the cost of governance, curb leakages, end impunity and ensure adherence to the rule of law by all departments of government.”