President Tinubu Limits Number Of Staff Allowed To Accompany Him, Other Top Officials During Foreign Trips

In a cost-cutting measure, Bola Tinubu has reduced the entourage on foreign trips for the president, vice-president and other top officials.

Presidential Spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale disclosed Tinubu's decision while addressing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday.

The president has reportedly instructed that local security agencies should be used for his protection whenever he travels to any state instead of taking a high number of security officials from Abuja.

"President Bola Tinubu has approved that anywhere he travels within this country, he will no longer accept or allow huge security delegations to be following him from Abuja, which attract massive bills with respect to estacode and duty allowances," Ngelale said, Punch reported.

Tinubu approved a massive cost-cutting exercise that will apply to the entire federal government, including the offices of the president, vice-president and the first lady.

During international trips, not more than 20 people will be allowed to travel with the president. However, the number of accompanying staff will be cut down to five for the first lady and vice-president. The same applies for the vice-president's wife.

As far as local trips are concerned, the president has "approved a new limit of 25 members of staff to accompany him on domestic trips within the country," Premium Times reported.

"The Office of the First Lady is now limited to 10 staff members to accompany her on official trips within the country. The vice-president will be limited to 15 members of staff on official trips within the country, while his wife will be limited to 10 members of staff," Ngelale said.

He noted that the local trips include more people because they are comparatively less expensive. "The president is determined to bring total sanity and prudence to the management of the Commonwealth of our people," he added.

This decision was announced a few weeks after Nigerians slammed the Tinubu-led administration for allegedly sending 1,411 Nigerian delegates to attend the COP28 summit in Dubai amid the economic hardships faced by the country.

However, the federal government last month clarified that only 422 delegates were funded.