A coalition of civil society organizations (CSOs) in Osun State, known as The Osun Masterminds (TOM), has urged President Bola Tinubu to address the travel expenses of politicians and take other measures to cut down the cost of governance across the country.
The CSOs stated that it was unfair for the political class to be feeding fat while a multitude of Nigerians were suffering.
The coalition further noted that merely decreasing the number of vehicles in ministerial convoys is insufficient to effectively lower the governance cost.
Furthermore, the group urged governors nationwide to curtail their travel costs as part of efforts to alleviate the financial burden on Nigerians during these challenging times.
In a statement issued by its Executive Director, Professor Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli, the coalition emphasized that the President’s directive to limit ministerial convoys to three vehicles would not significantly impact governance costs unless accompanied by reductions in travel expenses.
Oyedokun-Alli appealed to all public officials to demonstrate greater empathy towards the populace by eliminating unnecessary expenditures, particularly those associated with excessive and avoidable travel, especially within the offices of the President, Vice President, and state governors.
“Cutting down on the number of official vehicles isn’t the only way by which the cost of governance can be brought down. The political class can’t be feeding fat at the expense of the hunger of the people,”
The CSOs also urged Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State to deal with the current hardship by using the increased federal allocation to enhance the quality of people’s lives.
He said: “It is deeply disturbing that while the Federal Government is not doing much to alleviate the suffering of the people, the State Governments which are now earning increased Federal allocations, are also not doing anything to make life easier for their people. In Osun here, instead of pursuing accelerated human development policies, we are busy constructing flyovers and arguing over inanities.
“The people of Nigeria and Osun deserve to have a better life than the current hardship that they are battling with. Our people deserve to be happy and live in a society where their dreams and aspirations are allowed to thrive.
“We are again calling on the Federal Government and the Osun State Government more importantly, to as a matter of urgency, intensify efforts to free the masses from the shackles of poverty. We must work quickly on eradicating hunger and creating opportunities for our people to make legitimate living.”