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There couldn’t have been a greater predictor of what to anticipate from President Bola Tinubu in 2024 than the way in which and method he started the New 12 months. For the President, 2024 began on a enterprise like, work-filled word. Whereas many had been nonetheless savouring the New 12 months, the Nigerian chief lower brief his Christmas/New 12 months vacation in Lagos, on January 1, hurriedly returned to Abuja and put his signature to the N28.7 trillion 2024 Appropriation Invoice handed by the Nationwide Meeting. It was his first project within the New 12 months and the way in which he did it demonstrated the seriousness and patriotic dedication he brings unto the exalted job.
For him, nothing should stand on the way in which of the onerous accountability bestowed on him. Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Home of Representatives Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas had been shocked to be taught the President had returned to Abuja and able to signal the price range.
Since that first day of the 12 months, it has been one impactful governance step and vital resolution after one other. Certainly, it was one week of 2024 to recollect. It jogs my memory of a tune by Canadian rock band, Barenaked Women with the identical title “One Week”. The tune was launched as the primary single from their 1998 album, Stun. The tune is exclusive for its vital quantity of popular culture references, and stays the band’s best-known tune. In line with Wikipedia, when the tune reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Scorching 100.
In One week of 2024 to recollect, President Tinubu made pivotal and landmark choices, which have been extensively applauded.
Critic-turned-admirer of President Tinubu, Reno Omokri, catalogued a few of these vital choices and developments in a tweet just lately.
The choices embrace the suspension of the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Beta Edu, and Coordinator of the Nationwide Social Funding Programme Company, Hajiya Halimotu Shehu, for alleged monetary transgressions and the continuing investigation by the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee to find out their guilt; the summon by the President of one other minister alleged to be concerned in a controversial contract; the drastic discount within the entourage of the President’s home and worldwide travels; the banning of the money-for-degree universities in Benin Republic, Togo and different international locations;, and the clearing of the N12billion excellent allowances and different arrears for the Tremendous Eagles, participating within the African Cup of Nations event starting this weekend. Arrears owed different nationwide groups had been additionally paid by the President..
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In that previous week, the Bola Tinubu administration launched into the cost of wage assist advantages to civil servants, the disbursement of N105.5 billion for 266 highway repairs, the launch of the automated passport portal and the unfolding of plans to construct a brand new Chinese language-funded plant in Nigeria following on the heel of a go to to China by the Minister of Metal Improvement, Shuaib Abubakar Audu.
The swift suspension of Betta Edu, one of many seen ministers at current, pending the complete investigation of the alleged scandal within the ministry not solely demonstrates there aren’t any scared cows within the anti-graft campaign, it is going to additionally function deterrent in opposition to others who could in any other case imagine the current authorities is business-as-usual.
Nevertheless, as some have argued, the minister shouldn’t be pilloried till after the complete investigation of the allegations in opposition to her can set up culpability.
Maybe, essentially the most thrilling of the President’s choices throughout that vital week, in my opinion, is the resolve to chop the price of governance by drastically lowering the variety of individuals in his entourage on native and worldwide journeys. President Tinubu directed that the highest authorities functionaries, dignitaries and aides on his travels be slashed by 60 per cent, greater than half.
On native journeys, the President, as an example, ordered that within the space of safety, his staff ought to rely extra on the capability of the safety institution and current protocols within the host states.
It should be identified right here that when the President visits a state as an example like his latest go to to Lagos throughout the Christmas/New 12 months vacation, throughout which he determined to look at the Jumat on the Central Mosque in Lagos Island, the lengthy stretch of autos seen in his convoy aren’t fully his personal. Some dignitaries in Lagos, high safety officers, high conventional rulers, political associates and lots of others merely joined the entourage to the mosque at no prompting of the President.
The significance of slicing the quantity within the President’s travels aside from the concomitant discount in complete price of the journey is unmistakable. First, it’s in tandem with the calls for of the current difficult instances when costs of products and providers have skyrocketed owing to what many tie to the prevalent overseas change price.
Second, by slashing the presidential entourage, President Tinubu has once more demonstrated management by instance. He has proven he totally understands what the individuals are experiencing at current and shares of their pains, which he says will probably be short-term, in line with his New 12 months Day speech.
Certainly, the price of governance and administration in Nigeria is excessive and it has grow to be crucial to convey down this price. Each potential avenue should be employed to do that. It’s estimated that the nation largely spends over 75% of her federal price range on recurrent expenditure, leaving lower than 25% for capital expenditure. The current administration is about to vary this governance narrative. As an example, within the N28.7trillion 2024 price range, recurrent expenditure was pegged at N8.7tr and capital expenditure at N9.9tr. This development is predicted to proceed going ahead.
– Rahman is a Senior Presidential Aide
