Tinubu Government Spends N701 Million on First Lady’s Foreign Trips Amid Economic Hardship
In a period of just three months, the Federal Government of Nigeria has spent a staggering N701 million on foreign trips for the First Lady, Remi Tinubu. This revelation, which has come to light through an investigation by Politics Nigeria, has raised concerns across the country, especially at a time when many Nigerians are grappling with economic hardship and widespread hunger.
Breakdown of Expenditure on Foreign Trips
According to the investigation, the First Lady's official trips spanned five countries: the United States, France, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and the United Kingdom. A detailed breakdown of these expenses reveals the following:
- United States: On November 17, 2023, the Federal Government spent N77.6 million for the First Lady’s trip to the U.S.
- France: On February 24, 2024, N149.7 million was allocated for her trip to France.
- Mozambique: On March 15, 2024, N202.3 million was spent on the trip to Mozambique.
- Ethiopia: On the same day as the Mozambique trip, N144.5 million was used for a trip to Ethiopia.
- United Kingdom: A trip to London cost the government N126.2 million.
These significant expenses come at a time when ordinary Nigerians are enduring economic strain, raising questions about the appropriateness of such spending.
Additional Spending on Programs
Beyond foreign trips, the Federal Government also spent heavily on six events organized by the First Lady over a four-month period, with a total expenditure of N314.2 million. A breakdown of these costs includes:
- Event Decoration: A total of N131.9 million was spent on decoration for the First Lady’s programs.
- Multimedia Services: N107.6 million was allocated to multimedia services during these events.
When combined with the foreign trip expenses, the total amount spent on the First Lady's activities over the course of seven months amounts to N1.014 billion, as revealed by GovSpend, a civic tech platform that tracks and analyses government expenditure.
Public Outcry Over Lavish Spending
The revelation of this lavish spending has sparked outrage, particularly from civil society groups. The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) expressed strong disapproval, criticizing the excessive expenditure on the office of the First Lady, which is not constitutionally recognized.
CACOL’s Executive Director, Debo Adeniran, described the spending as "unacceptable," noting that the office of the First Lady should not receive public funds since it is not provided for in the Nigerian Constitution.
“It is more than profligacy. It is actually a misappropriation of funds because the office of the First Lady doesn’t exist in our Constitution and is not supposed to be appropriated for. Every appropriation made for that office is illegal,” Adeniran stated. He went on to criticize the National Assembly for its failure to exercise proper oversight, stating, "It is just because our National Assembly is complacent. They are not performing their oversight functions the way they should."
Calls for Accountability
Adeniran emphasized that any government personnel, elected or otherwise, who uses national funds for unconstitutional purposes is committing an offence. He also pointed out that for elected officials, such an act is an impeachable offence. He called on Nigerians to resist this trend of unchecked spending by speaking out against such fiscal irresponsibility.
As Nigeria continues to face economic challenges, this extravagant spending on non-essential activities highlights the growing disconnect between the government and the people. The call for accountability is louder than ever, as civil society groups demand a reassessment of government priorities in the face of widespread poverty and hunger.
Conclusion
At a time when millions of Nigerians are struggling to survive under the weight of economic hardship, the revelation of over N1 billion in spending on the First Lady’s trips and programs raises serious questions about the government's commitment to addressing the needs of its citizens. As public outcry grows, the demand for transparency and accountability in government spending is likely to intensify. Whether the authorities will heed these calls remains to be seen
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