The newly sworn-in Minister of State for Finance Mr. Remi Babalola has placed a ban on government officials and other public servants especially working in the various agencies under the ministry to stop using public funds to pay for first class tickets during official trips.
Also, he warned heads of parastatals under his supervision to desist from travelling with public funds using first class ticket which he said was only a sign of misappropriating public funds and attesting to lack of priority by such officials.
Babalola reminded the heads of parastatals to adhere to existing public service rules and code of conduct that bar ministers, members of boards of parastatals and other public officers from travelling by first class with public funds.
He gave the directives in Abuja at a meeting with the heads of the five parastatals and officials of the ministry to review the operations and performance of the agencies. He chairs the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
The parastatals include: the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, National Insurance Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission, Nigerian Export Import Bank, and the Investments and Securities Tribunal.
He said, “As much as possible, foreign trips should be pruned to only very essential ones that can add value to your mandates. He also added that, “Non-performance and abuse of office would not be tolerated.”
Babalola solicited the cooperation of all the heads of parastatals and reminded them that time was of essence and should therefore “hit the ground running”.
On their part, the heads of parastatals assured the minister of their support and promised to work assiduously to achieve the mandates of their respective agencies and the government in general.