President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has called for transparency, accountability, and the elimination of unnecessary expenditures to cut the cost of governance in the country.
Senator Akpabio made the call at a one-day dialogue on the cost of governance in Nigeria organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) in Abuja.
Senator Akpabio’s position on the potential factors contributing to the high cost of governance in the country was conveyed by Senator Jarigbe Agom, representing Cross River North District in the 10th National Assembly.
Senator Akpabio pointed out that major factors contributing to the high cost of governance include the size of the bureaucracy, the rising wage bills of the public service, the overhead costs of appointive public officials, and the salaries and allowances of elected officials.
Additionally, he noted that the operation of government institutions, among other significant components, burdens the economy and hampers development efforts.
The Senate President underscored the importance of rationalizing bureaucracy, cutting unnecessary expenditures, and ensuring transparency and accountability across all levels of governance.
In his remarks, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, stressed that the call for a reduction in government expenditure resonates across the nation and is incumbent upon leaders to respond, emphasizing that measures that streamline expenditure in line with the prevailing economic realities must be adopted.
