Several ministries and agencies under the present administration of President Bola Tinubu, have spent no less than N1.8bn on air tickets, estacodes, and duty tour allowances between July and September 2024, according to data sourced from GovSpend.

Some of the ministries and agencies include the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Police Affairs, the Ministry of Youth Development, the Ministry of Women Affairs, the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

Others include 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.

Checks by our correspondent showed that the ministries and agencies spent N755,884,949.44 on Duty Tour Allowances and another N1,044,858,941.48 on estacodes and air tickets and foreign trips, totalling N1,800,743,930.92 spent between July and September 26, 2024.

Among the biggest spenders are the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, which spent N322m; the Ministry of Finance with a total spending of N187.2m; the ICPC with N150m; and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources with N108m 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, our correspondent found that some ministries incurred as much as N21m in expenses for travel tickets and estacodes within days.

Speaking on the development, the Chairman of the Centre for Accountability and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran, 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.”

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.

The Director of Information and Public Relations for the Ministry of Finance, Mohammed Manga, could also not be reached as his phone was switched off, while the Director of Press and Public Relations in the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Olujimi Oyetomi, declined calls from our correspondent.

Source: https://punchng.com/Tinubu’s-ministers-agencies-spend-N1.8bn-on-air-travel

wicked and tribally corrupt persons will say Tinubu is doing everything right to make the country a better place. It will never be well with tribalism.

These politicians are enjoying themselves and you will see the mumu citizens coming online to fight and defend them. If you read some comments here, you will know that we won't still get it right in 2027 general election. Do you know why? Our mentality is sickening and we're so gullible and easily used by few tricks of these politicians.
Immediately a politician plays a religious card, everywhere don scatter. You think we're now unified by hunger abi? Wait until 2027 and you will be shocked
What do I even know sef aside enlightening my fellow men nationwide with the good news

Tinubu claims there is no money to subsidize for Nigerians but there is money to subsidize corruption and political luxury for him and his cronies in office...

Imagine

Corruption at its peak....this is why most of us doesn't believe in tinubu competence....not only he is too old to preside over the affairs of above 200million people. but his body language encourages corruption. if u remember his dubious past records both in USA and in lagos..a very wealthy man without a verifiable main source of wealth...such encourages corruption among his people..buharia people initially was afraid of stealing public funds because of his perceived integrity. but when they saw that buharia was clueless..they began to steal, but for tinubu people they started stealing early knowing the kind of master they have..u are bringing hard policies that increased the sufferings of citizens with hope of turning things around..u increase taxes to make more money yet you squander the money on frivolities ..yet many are still supporting him..I believe that nothing much will change if those in charge of our political life continue to see position of power as a means of acquisition of wealth and not honest service to humanity...if we fail to recover stolen funds from our past leaders tinubu inclusive...we will never be able to get to where citizens see taxes as social contracts that will make their lives better...if citizens know that leaders will sqander their taxes on frivolities. They will not be willing to pay taxes...look at billions this regime is wasting on a daily basis yet they're borrowing more money from people who disciplined themselves to the extent of having extra funds to borrow out, after transforming their own countries...this is shameful

Damnnn niggar
Tinubu is a disaster

Aremwayne:
wicked and tribally corrupt persons will say Tinubu is doing everything right to make the country a better place. It will never be well with tribalism.

Damnnn niggar
My niggarrrrrrrrrr
Tribalism is the problem of Nigerians
There is deep rooted Tribalism in us ...
We pretend not to show it in public

But come to a face less forum like Nairaland you will weep at the Tribalism going on when you see comments

Nigerians are sincerely not angry about corruption they are just pretending to be angry because it is not their tribesman man in power...

The politicians have united against us But we the masses can not unite against them due to tribalism

Watch how Nairaland members who are tribalistic will quote me and insult me for calling tinubu a disaster
What can you say about 2012 Jonathan subsidy removal protest were we shut down the whole nation despite the suffering was not that bad like that of today.....we can no longer do the shut down protest because the president is one of the the three major tribe.....it will be difficult for Nigerians to fight any president from one of the 3 major tribe...

Wooow

To note that Mr President had placed a ban on public-funded trips for Ministers and heads of agencies before now, makes it worrisome. Blatant disregard for order and directive from Commander-n-Chief calls for concern

Brendaniel:
Tinubu claims there is no money to subsidize for Nigerians but there is money to subsidize corruption and political luxury for him and his cronies in office...

😂😂

All these expenses ehn!

Na our money wey no get value especially internationally!

And what will be the outcome of this story? Investigation?
Arrest?
Nothing?

Please don't just scroll pass. Somebody should please help me, the hunger too much. I have not eaten since Friday.

81 four eight 6 8 zero 8 eight 2
Opay

Unago C. Chomtin

Thanks

The ministers and heads of the agencies should be held accountable for this. It seems they are not taking the president's directive seriously

Why keep tabs ? Is this not Egypt again ?


That pyramid shall be built !

Goodluck Jonathan go jst dey one place now dey laugh all of una

Irresponsible and ineffective ministers

Is this the best team agbado gangstazz told us tinubu assembled?

Just three months

Nobody is suprised

Dear Jagaban lovers,

What is the progress update on Tinubu’s eight point agenda he promised Nigerians in 2023? This is over one year now. How far?

1. food security;
2. poverty eradication;
3. growth,
4. job creation;
5. access to capital;
6. inclusion;
7. rule of law; and
8. fighting corruption

https://punchng.com/translating-tinubus-8-point-agenda-to-recovery/?amp

What about the 50 million jobs promised between 2023 to 2026? How many has Tinubu and his government created?

https://www.nairaland.com/7821154/tinubu-sets-3-year-economic-revival

It is due to insecurity. Especially within...
Tinubu and his policies are on weed!!!
Just tired of the fact that some of thought he could change the narrative for better.

The Aso Rock tax collector dey still blame us for the shambles in the economy...

Tinubu will bury this country finally.

In just 3 months.... No money no money to help the poor yet there is money for extravagant spending.

adenigga:




Source: https://punchng.com/Tinubu’s-ministers-agencies-spend-N1.8bn-on-air-travel

This man just complete his four years and go away.. He is a disaster

The whistle blowers couldn't blow the whistle on time.

The money has been spent already, na to recover it back.

All the ministries and agencies mentioned above should be investigated.

Nigerians should continue to endure

You can't give what you dont have.

Tinubu and Ruto are not different but at least, Ruto still listen to the average Kenyans even though we had to resort to a nationwide protest but not Tinubu though, na wetin him go do him go do.

ENDURANCE REPUBLIC 😆😆😆

LET'S CONTINUE ENDURING TILL 4YRS