President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has prohibited ministers, aides, and other government officials from traveling abroad in an effort to reduce the cost of governance.
The directive was issued in a letter dated March 12, 2024, by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, and sent to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
As reported by Premium Times, President Tinubu’s letter stated a ban on all foreign trips, with exceptions only for trips considered absolutely necessary.
It was mentioned in the letter that any exemptions would require presidential approval, which must be requested two weeks prior to the planned trip.
The ban is initially set for 90 days, starting on April 1, 2024, as outlined in the letter.
President Tinubu also expressed worries about the increasing expenses of foreign trips taken by government officials, especially given the country’s challenging economic circumstances.
The letter reads: “Mr. President has concerns about the rising cost of travel expenses borne by Ministries, Department and Agencies of Government as well as the growing need for Cabinet Members and heads of MDAs to focus on their respective mandates for effective service delivery.
“Considering the current economic challenges and the need for responsible fiscal management, I am writing to communicate Mr Presideni’s directive to place a temporary ban on all public funded international trips for all Federal Government officials at all levels, for an initial period of three (3) months from Is April 2024.
“This temporary measure is aimed at cost reduction in governance and intended as a cost-saving measure without compromising government functions.
“All government officials who intend to go on any publicly funded international trips must seek and obtain Presidential approval at least two (2) weeks prior to embarking on any such trip, which must be deemed absolutely necessary.
The news platform reported that it received a copy of the letter, and its authenticity was confirmed by several ministers.
One minister, who chose to remain anonymous because he is not authorized to speak on the matter, informed the news outlet that he was given a copy of the letter by the presidency.
