‘FG spent over N353.70bn for travels in 3 years’
Federal Government spent a whopping sum of over N353.70 billion on travelling in the last three years, the Efficiency Unit said on Thursday.
This is just as the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has hinted that the present administration would save N5 billion annually from discounts on air travels alone.
The breakdown of the travel cost of the Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government from 2012 to 2015 shows that the top five overhead expenditure items are put at over N1,054.51 trillion.
The top five items include travel (local and international), maintenance, training (local and international), welfare and office stationery and computer consumables.
Head of Efficiency Unit under the Federal Ministry of Finance, Mrs. Patience Oniha, made this known during a workshop organised for protocol and certain administrative officers of MDAs on Flight Discount on Thursday in Abuja.
While speaking on the initiatives of the Efficiency Unit on Travels, Mrs. Oniha said in 2012, N78.65 billion was spent on travels (Local and International) representing 17.01 of the total overhead expenditure.
N69.44 was also spent on maintenance (all fixed assets) representing 15.02. Training (Local and International) N57.1 billion representing 12.35%. Office Stationery and Computer Consumables N42.53 (9.2%) while N33.41 billion was spent on welfare (7.23%), bringing the total overhead expenditure of the top five items in 2012 to N281.13 (60.81%) and a total of N462.23 billion for all MDAs representing 100% of the total overhead.
In 2013, N100.43 billion was spent on travel (Local and International) representing 21.71%.
N62.98 billion was spent on maintenance (all fixed assets) representing 13.62% of the budget. Training (Local and International) N56.55 billion representing 12.23%, Welfare N43.62 billion also representing 9.43% and Office Stationery and Computer Consumables which gulped N38.29 billion 8.28%.
The Efficiency Unit boss said “Overhead expenditure items for 2014; Travels (Local and International) N69.42 billion representing 16.19%, Welfare N49.71 representing 11.6%, Office Stationery and Computer Consumables N44.43 billion representing 10.36%, Maintenance (all fixed assets) N43.2 billion representing 10.08%, Training (Local and International) N35.19 billion representing 8.21%.”
“This brought the total for the top five expenditure lines to N241.95 billion representing 56.44%; and N428.68 billion for all MDAs in 2014 representing 100%.”
“In 2015, travels (Local and International) N105.197 billion representing 23.30%, Maintenance (all fixed assets) N46.313 billion representing 10.26%, Office Stationery and Computer Consumables N36.912 representing 8.18%, Field/Camping Materials Supplies N34.033 billion representing 7.54%, Honourarium/Sitting Allowance N28.524 billion representing 6.32%. The total for these top five Expenditure Lines was N250.979 billion (55.60%). Total for all MDAs was N451.412 billion (100%).”
But the Finance minister represented by the Acting Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mrs. Lara Shuaibu, said that the present administration would save N5 billion annually from discounts on air travels alone.
“We expect to have saved N5 billion per annum when the legal documentation of the discounts offered by other airlines are concluded. These financial reform initiatives are in our collective interest. I therefore implore all MDAs to support the initiative and avail themselves of savings opportunities such as Travel Discounts,” the minister said.
