The Nigerian government is planning a 65 percent reduction in allocations for refreshment and meals given to top government officials, Punch reports.

The proposal is said to be prepared by an Efficiency Unit set up by the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, and will be forwarded to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation for approval.

It was learnt that the move is geared towards reducing wastage in government and curbing recurrent expenditures.

The Efficiency unit will be headed by Patience Oniha and will be considering a reduction of N8,500 per meal from the current N13,000 to about N4,500.

Furthermore, all other honorarium and sitting allowances will also be drastically reduced.

A source, privy to the matter, said “You will recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had, as part of measures to cut cost of governance, approved that the Minister of Finance should set up an efficiency unit.

“That unit has in the last few months been working hard to cut the recurrent expenditure. One of the recent recommendations made by the unit is on the need to reduce allowances for meal and refreshment.

“Before now, about N13,000 per meal was being spent on each top official of government whenever they have official meetings and others engagements. But now, there are plans to reduce this to about N4,500 by the template being developed for that purpose.”

Mazi Emeka