FG agencies budget billions for foreign training despite embargo

Federal government organizations have budgeted billions for foreign travels and training this year in spite of the subsisting ban on such travels. 

Information from the 2017 proposed budget break down demonstrates that over N15billion has been reserved for the banned subheads. 

These assets were captured in the budgets of the different services and organizations under subheads, for example, "international training and transport (training)," "international travel and
transport (training)" and "international travel and transport (others). 

On February 5, 2015, the office of the head of administration of the federation declared the ban in a circular "Restrictin on Foreign Trainings and International Travels by Public Servants." 

The circular marked by Mohammed Manga, aide executive media relations for the benefit of the then head of administration Danladi Kifasi, was a cost-saving measure taking after the recent development in the International oil market that has influenced the revenue stream of government. 

The policy which took effect from January 2015, said: "No ministry, extra-ministerial office, division, agencies or parastatals should send staff outside Nigeria for preparing at government cost regardless of whether that office draws stores from the government budget or meets its financial needs from income created without anyone else." 

It said that "public servants invited for remote trainings/study tour, meetings by any association, government or other two-sided/multilateral association will be permitted to travel gave that no travel cost, estacode application or some other cost on government is included." 

Agencies under direct supervision of the SGF have budgeted N200 million for international training, as indicated by the current year's budget estimate. 

Some of the big spenders include foreign affairs ministry (N2.1bn), defence college (N2.8bn), Army (N766m), Navy (N582m), Airforce (N670m), labour and employment (N357m), education (N241m), environment (N200m), budget and national planning (150m), transports (N138m), and EFCC (N154m).

Others are trade and investment (N155m), boundary commission (N118m), presidential air fleet (N1.1bn), NSA (N157m), DSS (N192m), police formations (N204m), accountant general (N58m), information and culture (N68m), DICON (N80m), justice (N88m), women affairs (N100m) and sports (N58m).