THE recent revelation that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spent a whopping N2.7 billion on foreign travels in 2009 is alarming. We are shocked at this display of profligacy.
The matter came to limelight during the Ministry's 2010 budget defence session at the National Assembly. The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs had vehemently condemned the N2.7 billion expenditure incurred by the Ministry on foreign trips. The Chairman of the Committee, Professor Jubril Aminu described the frequent foreign trips by the Ministry's officials as wasteful.
Continuing, Aminu said the whole budget of the Ministry of Commerce is about N1 billion while that of the Police Affairs Ministry is about N2 billion. The Senate Committee could therefore not understand why the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would spend N2.7 billion on foreign trips alone and at the same time demand an increase in the 2010 budget. "These foreign trips are wasteful; you have to cut them down. There is no way we are going to give you more money for international travels", the Committee Chairman said.
In response, Chief Ojo Maduekwe the Minister of Foreign affairs put up a stout defence, arguing that the travels were undertaken by the Ministry for what he called "diplomacy". According to Maduekwe, "Diplomacy is all about visibility; even technology has not helped in reducing international travels in diplomacy". The Minister needs to be reminded that there is something called moderation.
We are shocked that he does not see anything wrong with the huge amount squandered by his ministry on foreign trips in less than 12 months. What sort of diplomacy could prove to be so costly within such a short time? Perhaps, only Chief Maduekwe is not shocked by this development. We are. Foreign travels often provide government officials an opportunity to squander public resources, and more importantly to earn fat estacodes. Nigerian delegations at international functions are often the largest, and the quality of their participation lamentably low. At a time when Nigeria's rating on the diplomatic scene is so poor, if not laughable, it is hard to see what gains the expensive N2.7 billion junket by Foreign Affairs Ministry officials in 2009 has brought to the country. The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs should not only reject the Minister's request for more money on foreign travels, it should insist on an audit of the N2.7 billion for 2009. This is a clear indicator of the wastage that is going on in official circles.
Who actually made the travels, to where, and for what purpose? What did Nigeria gain from the trips to justify the spending? How much estacode was paid and to whom? Are we dealing with high estacodes? We need to know. And Chief Maduekwe should be prepared to account for the expenditure. It is not enough for him to wave this off as a non-issue.
Unfortunately, heavy spending on foreign travels is the pattern in virtually every Ministry, Department or Agency. Not too long ago, there were reports of similarly excessive expenditure on travels, by members of the National Assembly. All such expenditures should be carefully audited to ensure accountability.
In the case of the foreign ministry, it is not compulsory that the Minister personally undertakes all foreign trips. The country has diplomatic missions abroad that can handle some of the matters.
It is curious that the revelation on foreign travels is coming at a time when many of Nigeria's foreign missions are complaining about being under-funded. In many of them, there are no enough funds to pay staff salaries or the bills for basic necessities required for office administration. The Federal Government had once tried to rationalise some of the missions for financial reasons.
Part of the funds being frittered away on travels and estacodes by Ministry officials could have been used to strengthen the country's missions abroad. The same funds could have been used for development purposes. We join the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs in condemning any form of wasteful spending and call on it not to allow any increase in the 2010 budget that is not strictly tied to useful purposes or that cannot be properly justified.