FG bans procurement, distribution of souvenirs

As the country struggles with economic recession, the Buhari administration has banned the procurement and distribution of souvenirs including conference bags, T-shirts at events and activities like Conferences, Workshops and Seminars organised and funded by Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs.

The new measures which were  recommended by the Efficiency Unit of the Federal Ministry of Finance were conveyed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the Ministers of Finance and Budget and National Planning, by the Chief of Staff to the President, Alhaji Abba Kyari for implementation following approval by President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to a statement signed by Salsiu Na’Inna Dambatta, Director of Information, Federal Ministry of Finance, “the directive is a recognition of the fact that in a period of lean financial resources in the face of huge national infrastructural deficit, wasteful and unnecessary expenditure on overheads such as  souvenirs and conference bags were luxuries that the government must eliminate to release funds for infrastructure and services such as health and education that would have direct positive impact on the wellbeing of the citizenry and promote economic development.”

According to Dambatta, the Federal Government also banned production of "unnecessary publications and books of short shelf life which have no real value to the concerned public institutions or the citizens,” adding that the government has emphasized “the need for the citizenry and other interested parties to be aware of the initiatives, activities and programmes being implemented by the government."

The MDAs were directed to save costs by uploading such publications on their websites which have the added advantage of wider visibility, and print only limited number of hard copies of the relevant publications.