GROUP URGES GOVERNMENT TO EXTEND MATERNITY LEAVE TO SIX MONTHS

Federal Government of Nigeria has banned the procurement and distribution of conference bags, T-shirts and other souvenirs at events such as Conferences and Seminars funded by Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). In a statement on Sunday, in Abuja, the Director of Information, Federal Ministry of Finance, Mr Salisu Dambatta, said President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the ban following recommendations by the Efficiency Unit. It said the Chief of Staff to the President, Alhaji Abba Kyari, had forwarded the directive to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the Ministers of Finance and Budget and National Planning, for implementation. According to the statement, the ban was in continuation of the on-going cost-cutting and efficiency drive in the utilisation of public funds by the present administration. It would be recalled that President Buhari had set up the Efficiency Unit to review all federal government’s overhead expenditure to reduce wastage, promote efficiency and ensure quantifiable savings for the country. The Minister of Finance, Head of Service of the Federation, Accountant-General of the Federation, Auditor-General of the Federation and Director, Budget Office of the Federation are members of the Unit. The Unit identified procurement as the area to begin the execution of its mandate of reducing overhead costs.