President Goodluck Jonathan is not yet done with heavy spending socialites in his cabinet or the public service.
As a follow up to his recent removal of
the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources,
Mr.AbdulAzeez Musa, for allegedly throwing a lavish wedding party for
his daughter in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, President Jonathan has
threatened to sack any minister or government official who holds an
expensive or lavish party at home or abroad.
He said such ostentatious ministers must abide by the Code of Conduct for public officers or quit immediately.
He directed the Head of the Civil
Service of the Federation, Mr. Bukar Goni Aji, to write to all permanent
secretaries, directors and civil servants to stop such habit while
security agencies, especially anti-graft commissions, were asked to keep
a watch on ministers and public officers.
It was gathered that the President read
the Riot Act to the Ministers at the Federal Executive Council (FEC)
meeting in Abuja on Wednesday following security reports on the
extravagant lifestyles of some ministers and public servants.
The security reports exposed how some
ministers and officers had been ferrying guests abroad for birthday,
marriage, chieftaincy, house warming and funeral parties.
Choice countries for such expensive
parties are Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, the United
Kingdom, the United States of America, South Africa, Ghana, The Gambia
and Ireland.
Some cabinet members were also alleged to have sprayed dollars at such parties.
A Presidency source familiar with the
issue said: “The Ministers got more than they bargained for at the FEC
meeting when the President spent some time to condemn ostentatious
lifestyles of public officers.
“He said he could not understand why
ministers and public officers would be throwing lavish parties at home
and abroad in a country where people cannot afford three square meals.”
The source quoted the President as
saying: “I will sack whoever is found to be indulging in this
unnecessary and expensive partying at home or abroad from this cabinet.
Enough is enough.
“Why will a public officer on salary be
organising parties abroad with many guests flying there on his ticket?
All public officers engaging in this habit will henceforth be shown the
way out. The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation should write a
directive to all permanent secretaries, directors and civil servants to
abide by their Code of Conduct and Civil Service Rules and Regulations.”
Asked how the ministers reacted when the
President read the riot act, the source added: “There was pin-drop
silence at the Executive Chambers of the Presidential Villa. They all
got the message.”
It was however baffling, even to the
President and some ministers, that those who briefed the press after the
weekly FEC meeting “shielded the ban on partying away from the issues
treated.
“None of the Ministers at the post-FEC briefing mentioned this important directive of the President,” the source noted.
It was learnt that the presidency has
placed security agencies, especially anti-graft commissions, on the
alert to watch out for such extravagant public officers.
Another presidency source added:
“Henceforth, all ministers and public officers will be under watch by
anti-graft agencies in order to fish out the bad ones.
“Certainly, there is no more hiding place for cabinet members.”
This is the second time FEC members would be warned against reckless spending.
The late President Umaru Yar’Adua had,
at a FEC meeting in 2009, taken exception to how a minister allegedly
spent about N125 million on his 25th wedding anniversary.
Recently, Euromonitor International revealed that Nigerians spent $59 million on champagne alone in 2012.
According to Euromonitor International,
“Nigeria is among the fastest-growing countries in the world for
champagne consumption, spending an estimated $59 million in 2012 on
bubbly.
“That number is up from $49 million in
2011, and the firm forecasts that the country will spend some $105
million on fizz in 2017.
“Analysts say oil wealth, hip-hop, movie stars and an elite obsessed with status symbols have driven demand.”
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all dis useless men should be ashemed of dem self ministers for noting. You will use our money go out side spend it for noting.becos u want efcc to see u.any way efcc is worst.jona God will help u for dis nation.
ReplyDeleteUncle Jona, i love you for this decision
ReplyDeleteMy beloved president just keep doing your best . God will neither leave u nor forsake you . Remain blessed !
ReplyDeletelets pray that it will work in this dispensation.Stephen Eruwa.
ReplyDeleteAll of them na the same.....until they make a Law that will see any corrupt public servant's Head chopped - off, only then will I believe if not I am glad to remain the doubting thomas...God bless Nigeria...
ReplyDeleteAll na window dressing its quite simply the pot calling the kettle black what will happen now is that the parties will now be thrown by friends of the minister etc and does this apply to his own wife abeg he should be dealing with the structural problems instead of wasting our time with this petty piece of window dressing
ReplyDeleteBiutifu, I knw God is goin to use gej to deliver naija only dat our impatiant is too much nd its really killin us, I bliv in his administratn. Carrrrry gooo dats a good one frm presido
ReplyDeleteSanctimonious Pope Jona!!!! Wetin madam Patience go find for Portharcourt?
ReplyDeleteWot diff does it make? Even wen d looted monies ar nt spent openly, they still hav d monies nd will continue to milk my beloved Nigeria dry!
ReplyDelete