Tanzanian team visits Nigeria to learn how to reduce cost of governance 

The technical team from Tanzania has arrived in Nigeria on a learning visit on how to reduce cost of governance, especially in the purchase and maintenance of government vehicles.

Welcoming the team on Wednesday in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mallam Aliyu Ahmed, reiterated the Ministry’s commitment and readiness in assisting the team in the rudiments of cutting government’s running cost in the purchase and maintenance of government vehicles.

Mallam Ahmed stated that it is a significant means of improving government savings, adding that exchange of ideas is a work in progress.

He lauded the team’s decision to learn from Nigeria which has similar experience, culture, ideology and policies, instead of going to other countries with different ideologies.

He assured the team of the Ministry’s support, adding that the Ministry’s team will take them through the “processes, guidelines, challenges and the way out” with the hope that, it will be an interactive session where great ideas will be impacted.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Mr. Mwendesha Makelemo, an Economist in the President’s Office, Public Service Management and Good Governance, Dodoma, Tanzania, said that “Tanzania envisions cutting government’s running cost in various operational areas, particularly in the purchase and maintenance of government motor vehicles where the cost-cutting strategy can be administered”.  

Mr. Makelemo disclosed that the government of the Federal Republic of Tanzania was in the process of preparing guidelines for reducing the cost of governance, which is expected to be a significant means of improving government saving which can be allocated in other priority areas to ensure value for money.

He noted that the government of Tanzania considered it important to learn from the experience and best practices from other countries with similar policies, hence Nigeria was selected amongst the countries identified to have similar policy for the study tour.

In a statement, Stephen Kilebi, D (Press and Public Relations) said he listed areas of focus to include: “Use of vehicles by senior Government officials, Management of Pool Vehicles, Vehicle Maintenance and Fuel Management, Vehicle loan scheme for Senior Government officials, Legal Framework and Monitoring system, Benefits and Challenges of implementation”.

The Head of Efficiency Unit, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Nigeria, Mrs. Adebusola Ajiboye in her remarks said that in the course of the learning, no experience is wasted.

She added that learning is a continuous process, which helps and saves for the government of any nation. 

In attendance at the meeting were some directors of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Nigeria.

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