The Federal Government in a bid to reduce the amount being spent on overheard expenditure on Wednesday night banned all top officials of government from flying first class while embarking on officials trips.
It said henceforth, all top officials of government such as ministers, permanent secretaries, Chairmen of Federal Government Committees, as well as Chairmen and Chief Executives of Parastatals and Agencies are to travel on business class.
The development was confirmed in a statement issued by the Media Adviser to the finance minister, Mr Festus Akanbi in Abuja.
In the past, some government officials who should have been on business class usually travelled on first class, while many others travelled business class instead of economy class.
Akanbi in the statement said the new directive has been captured in a circular on review of overhead expenses released by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
He said the development is one of the recommendations made by the Efficiency Unit which was set up by the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, last year aimed at reducing overheard expenses.
The unit was set up to engender transparency and reduce government’s large expenditure through procurement in the various ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government.