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Tinubu’s Ministers And Agencies Report ₦1.8 Billion Expenditure On Air Travel
Tinubu’s Ministers And Agencies Report ₦1.8 Billion Expenditure On Air Travel....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Several ministries and agencies under the administration of President Bola Tinubu have reportedly expended no less than ₦1.8 billion on air tickets, estacodes, and duty tour allowances between July and September 2024.
This data, sourced from GovSpend, raises questions about the government’s spending priorities amidst ongoing economic challenges facing the nation.
The expenditures encompass a wide range of ministries and agencies, including the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Police Affairs, the Ministry of Youth Development, and the Ministry of Women Affairs.
Other notable entities involved are the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation, and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Additionally, the Technical Aid Corps, the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission also contributed to this substantial spending.
Checks by Punch showed that the ministries and agencies spent ₦755,884,949.44 on Duty Tour Allowances and another ₦1,044,858,941.48 on estacodes and air tickets and foreign trips, totalling ₦1,800,743,930.92 spent between July and September 26, 2024.
Among the biggest spenders are the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, which spent ₦322m; the Ministry of Finance with a total spending of ₦187.2m; the ICPC with ₦150m; and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources with ₦108m all in the space of three months.
Recall that the President, Bola Tinubu, had placed a three-month ban on publicly-funded trips for Ministers and heads of agencies beginning April 1 2024, in a letter dated March 2 2024, from the Office of the President’s Chief of Staff.
The letter explained that the ban aimed to reduce the rise in expenses incurred by MDAs on international travel and ensure that the ministers and heads of agencies were focused on their respective mandates.
While the ban period has elapsed, it was discovered that some ministries incurred as much as ₦21m in expenses for travel tickets and estacodes within days.
The Chairman of the Centre for Accountability and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran, who spoke with Punch on the development described the figures as “a wasteful expenditure,” saying, “We have advised the government that during these austere times, they should implement their policy that government officials should not spend on frivolities. We can even excuse the Ministry of Blue Economy because it is new, we are just learning about Blue Economy and how to make it work for us.
“But some other ministries have been operating for ages, and most Nigerians know what they are supposed to do and what they should not do. So, there is no reason for the Ministry of Women Affairs and several of them like that to spend so much on foreign trips and seminars.”
The Executive Director of the Rule of Law Accountability and Advocacy Centre, Okechukwu Nwaguma, described the spending as “a misallocation of government resources”, adding that the development underscored the need for stringent policies regarding travel and expenditure by government officials.
“These expenditures should prompt a re-evaluation of government spending practices and policies to ensure that public funds are used effectively and in the best interest of the populace,” He said
Also, the Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative and Advocacy Centre, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, lamented that the travels had not attracted needed foreign direct investments to the country.
Bamidele Kehinde, Director of Dynamic Ambassadors for Social Orientation Initiatives and the City Transformation Project, has expressed appreciation to the Federal Government of Nigeria for its efforts in securing the release of Pastor Benjamin Egbaji, who was reportedly held in detention in the Republic of Benin for over two years under difficult conditions.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Pastor Egbaji, a Nigerian cleric, was said to have endured harsh treatment during his detention, including prolonged confinement. His release followed a presidential pardon granted by the authorities in Benin Republic under President Patrice Talon.
Speaking on News Central TV, Dr. Kehinde praised the diplomatic efforts that led to the cleric’s freedom, describing the process as lengthy and challenging. He noted that significant progress was achieved after Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu was appointed Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
He stated that although there was no personal connection or financial influence involved, the minister actively engaged Benin Republic authorities through diplomatic channels. According to him, her visit and negotiations played a key role in securing Pastor Egbaji’s release.
Dr. Kehinde also commended all individuals and institutions that contributed to the advocacy efforts, including Moses Eyo, Dickson Umu Unung, the Cross River State Government, CP Alobi Lawrence (rtd), Joseph Bisong Ayi, Blessing Harrison, Eze Sampson, and Rt. Hon. Legor Idagbo.
He said their combined efforts were instrumental in achieving the cleric’s freedom.
He added that while Egbaji’s release is a major relief, the cleric now faces the task of recovering and rebuilding his life after years of hardship. He called for continued support to help him reintegrate into society.
Dr. Kehinde also urged stronger government commitment to protecting Nigerian citizens abroad and enhancing diplomatic engagement across West Africa to prevent similar cases in the future.
The Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire, and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) has provided an update on its ongoing nationwide recruitment exercise.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The board stated that 1,120,491 applications were successfully completed and processed, allowing candidates to proceed to the computer-based test (CBT) stage.
It also disclosed that 432,935 applications were left incomplete, while 360,923 applicants were disqualified during screening and shortlisting for failing to meet the required criteria.
In total, the recruitment exercise recorded over 1.8 million applications across the country.
The exercise covers agencies under the board, including the Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Fire Service, and the Nigeria Correctional Service.
CDCFIB also released a breakdown of CBT performance, showing that 221,996 candidates scored between 0–40, 229,155 scored between 41–60, 278,543 scored between 61–80, while 142,697 scored between 81–100.
The recruitment process is now expected to move to the next stage, which includes physical screening and document verification. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted with details of their screening venues, dates, and required documents.
The board reiterated that the entire process is free of charge and advised applicants to rely only on official communication channels for updates, warning against misinformation and unauthorized messages circulating online.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has confirmed that its Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI conducted precise airstrikes in the Yuwe axis of the Sambisa Forest, resulting in the elimination of several terrorist elements on Monday.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, who noted that military operations in the North-East continue to maintain strong pressure on insurgent groups.
He explained that the operation was based on credible intelligence, supported by Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) activities, which identified active terrorist presence within fortified positions and underground hideouts.
According to him, NAF air platforms successfully engaged the targets using precision-guided munitions, destroying the structures, neutralising multiple terrorists, and dismantling key logistics facilities. This was later confirmed through battle damage assessments.
The statement added that sustained air operations have continued to weaken terrorist networks, disrupting their activities and forcing them into more defensive and unstable responses.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, also reiterated the Air Force’s commitment to maintaining continuous, intelligence-driven operations aimed at completely neutralising terrorist threats.
He further assured that the NAF remains focused on protecting its personnel, safeguarding national security, and ensuring the safety of citizens, while continuing precision operations in line with strict rules of engagement to minimise civilian impact.
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