Nigeria Bans First Class Flights for Government Officials

The Nigerian Government has banned all top government officials from flying first class while embarking on officials trips.
According to a statement by the Media Adviser to the finance minister, Mr. Festus Akanbi in Abuja, the decision is in a bid to reduce the amount being spent on overhead expenditure.
It noted that all top officials of government such as ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Chairmen of Federal Government Committees, as well as Chairmen and Chief Executives of Parastatals and Agencies are to travel on business class.
It will be recalled that before now, some government officials, who should have been on business class, usually travelled on first class, while many others travelled business class instead of economy class.
The statement added the new directive had been captured in a circular on review of overhead expenses released by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
He said the development was one of the recommendations made by the Efficiency Unit, which was set up by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, last year aimed at reducing overhead expenses.
The unit was set up to engender transparency and reduce government’s large expenditure through procurement in the various ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government.