Ekiti state governor, Ayo Fayose has asserted that at the rate President Muhammadu Buhari goes on foreign trips, he may end up spending 20% of the Federal Government budget.
The governor claims that each foreign trip of the President gulps about $1 million, which take a strain on the economy every time.
Speaking through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, on Tuesday, Fayose said: “Conservatively, about $1 million goes into every of the foreign trips and the way the President is going, foreign trips alone might gulp 20 percent of the Federal Government budget and that will be disastrous for the dwindling economy of the country.
“It is even more worrisome that while the economy is already in shamble and insecurity pervades the land with Boko Haram burning Nigerians, including children alive in the North East, our President is busy globetrotting.”
“In most of these trips, about $500,000 is spent on estacode, transportation, accommodation, honorarium, media coverage, contingency and other expenses on accompanying Presidency officials. The Presidential Air Fleet, which includes fuelling of the planes and allowances for crew members as well as the President’s estacode per night and those of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and his aides is said to be in the range of $500,000.”
“Out of his eight months as President of Nigeria, two months have been spent outside the country, and one wonders how a country like Nigeria can progress with its president spending the better part of his time abroad.”
“Mr President is therefore advised to focus more on governing Nigeria from home because foreign countries won’t solve our problems for us. He should fulfil his promise of leading the fight against Boko Haram from the front. Most importantly, the President should pay more attention to the ailing economy of the country while he carries on with genuine fight against corruption.”