FG to save N15bn from food, travels others

The Federal Government has planned to save N15 billion annually from food, travels, refreshments and other expenses it considered are drains on its coffers.
This was made known on Tuesday by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, in her opening remarks at a workshop on Cost Management for staff of Ministries, Department And Agencies (MDAs) in Abuja.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Mahmoud Isa Dutse, Mrs. Adeosun said the Efficiency Unit was specifically created in the Ministry of Finance to initiate measures including controls, limits and processes that will translate to value for money, eliminate waste and make savings for government in overhead.
She explained that “a sharp and sudden decline in revenue as Nigeria has experienced in recent times at a time when there is an urgent need to develop infrastructure and generate employment, makes it imperative for us to consider measures for generating more revenue and managing cost better.”
The government, she said, intends “to cut cost from travels, honouraria and siting allowances, training, advertising and publicity, refreshment and meals and welfare.”
She intimated “that circulars already issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the National Salaries, Wages and Incomes Commission, the cost reduction on some of these items us estimated at N15 billion per annum.”
She added that the workshop was “necessary in order to achieve a wide coverage at the Federal level so as to create uniformity of goals and practices in public spending by public officials at various levels.”