President John Dramani Mahama has imposed an immediate ban on international travel by boards of state-owned enterprises and public institutions for training, conferences, retreats and study tours funded at taxpayer expense, citing mounting alarm over the escalating cost of such trips.
The directive, issued from the Jubilee House on March 5 and signed by Secretary to the President Callistus Mahama, follows what the presidency described as a troubling pattern of overseas travel by board members that had placed significant strain on the public purse. The instruction applies to all state-owned enterprises and public institutions, bringing an abrupt halt to a practice the government said had grown both in frequency and expense.
“It has come to the attention of the President that some Boards of State-Owned Enterprises and other public institutions have increasingly undertaken international travel for training programmes, retreats, conferences, and study tours,” the directive stated.
While acknowledging the importance of exposure to international best practice and continuous professional development, the government expressed serious reservations about the cumulative cost of such travel, which often involved multiple board members and extended itineraries. The presidency noted that expenditure on airfares, accommodation, per diems and associated logistics had become a source of concern at a time when firm measures were being implemented to ensure fiscal discipline.
