In light of the nation’s severe economic challenges, leaders from the North Central region have formally requested President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to implement a one-year suspension on all foreign travel by government officials.
They argue that halting these trips often for medical care, professional training, and international conferences would significantly reduce financial strain on the country.
The regional leaders believe that these savings could be redirected to revitalizing the struggling textile and steel industries, potentially creating much-needed job opportunities for the youth.
Rt Hon Audu Sule, national publicity secretary of the North Central Peoples Forum (NCPF), voiced their commitment to supporting the President’s economic recovery plans.
“We are genuinely concerned about the current state of affairs in our country, and we earnestly want President Tinubu to succeed in his endeavours,” Sule remarked, just as he stressed that the President must take bold and decisive actions that will etch his name in the annals of history.
“The President should immediately suspend all foreign training programmes, seminars, trips, and conferences for government officials for a period of one year.
“This crucial step will enable the government to invigorate the textile and steel sectors, ultimately leading to job creation and enhanced prosperity for our nation,” Sule said.
He added that all medical treatments for government officials should be conducted within Nigeria to ensure that savings are maximized and redirected towards domestic projects.
The leaders further articulated that if there is an absolute necessity for any official to travel abroad for specific engagements, the President should limit such travel to only one representative.
“To reinforce our commitment, we propose that all estacode allowances be suspended for the duration of one year. These are the sacrifices that those in government must undertake to steer the country back onto a path of stability and growth,” the leaders declared, highlighting the importance of prioritising funds for the rejuvenation of the textile and steel industries.
“There is a clear directive on where these funds should be allocated. We also urge the President to enforce that all financial transactions conducted within Nigeria be executed in our local currency, the naira,” they advised.
The leaders also recommended a moratorium on ceremonial activities related to the commissioning or launching of new projects for one year with projects supervised directly by ministers and not through middlemen.
The leaders insisted that their proposals are purely advisory in nature.
“Our role is to offer constructive advice. By eliminating all forms of financial leakages, there will be sufficient resources available to fund essential projects.
“We do not support distributing cash as palliatives to the populace.
“If the President can successfully revitalise the steel and textile industries, Nigerians will likely express their gratitude for his leadership as employment opportunities increase and prosperity returns to our land.
“This could also lead to stability in labour relations, minimising the risk of strikes,” the leaders said.
On his part, Anthony Sani, an elder statesman and leader from the North Central zone, challenged leaders to make sacrifices now.
Sani, a former secretary-general of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), said reducing the number of foreign trips is one area of reducing the cost of governance, adding that one of the issues the president omitted in his broadcast was to let Nigerians know how the government intended to reduce governance costs for the express purpose of using any resultant savings for the development of the productive sector.
“Textiles is only one of the areas. Many aspects of the ailing economy are begging for attention.
“The major challenge as a nation is the lack of productivity. Palliative is consumption, not production.
“So, reducing government officials’ foreign trips is only one aspect of the sacrifices they are expected to make. This is because public officers are not supposed to live standards of life far above those of their constituents. They are, therefore, expected to lead the charge for the sacrifices needed in the collective efforts to recover the economy and dare the rest of Nigerians to follow,” Sani added.
