Human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, has asked President Bola Tinubu to further reduce his travel entourage to 40 per cent.
Making this call while appearing on Channels TV’s Politics Today, Falana hailed the president for taking steps to reduce his travel expenses.
Falana said it is commendable that the government is starting to cut costs, insisting that there are other areas where resources could be saved from wasting away.
The renowned SAN also called on State Governors to emulate President Tinubu and reduce their travel entourage.
News360 Info reports that Falana emphasized the importance of sacrifice in the face of a weak economy, saying that it is time for the government to tighten its belt after years of encouraging the poor to do the same.
He said, “It (cutting of entourage) is realistic and if possible the government can go further to reduce the number from 60 to 40 per cent or there about having regards to the state of the economy. But there are areas to address where we are wasting a lot of resources.
I once traveled and I was in one of the embassies. I was flabbergasted that Nigeria has been paying rent in an African country for our embassy since 1962, that should not be so. So, the government will have to holistically look at the areas of waste,” Falana said.
“So, the government will have to holistically look at the areas of waste. Well, that is a good initiative on the part of the President. Our governors should also reduce their entourage locally and internationally so that we can let the world know and let Nigerians know that the question of sacrifice will have to start from the top.
For years, we have asked the poor to tighten their belts, it is the government now that should tighten their belts. The budget must be reviewed to reflect the state of the economy. We are starting now to begin to cut down the excesses of government and I think it’s a good development but we need to do more.”
