Following President John Dramani Mahama’s directive banning foreign travel by boards of state institutions, former Power Minister Dr. Kwabena Donkor is calling for a more structured, long-term solution to address the challenge.
The corporate governance consultant is advocating that every board of state institutions must adopt a clear and enforceable travel policy.
Already, the former MP has welcomed the President’s decision, describing it as a necessary step to curb excessive and sometimes unjustified travel by board members. He, however, proposed that there should be some flexibility for state institutions that are efficient and profitable.
From Ban to Structure
For Dr. Donkor, the real issue is not travel itself, but the lack of clear rules guiding it.
Boards, he explains, have a fiduciary responsibility, which is a duty to act in the best interest of the institution they oversee. In simple terms, he believes every board member must act as if the company belongs to them.
He indicates that before any action is approve, the board member must ask himself or herself “If this were my own company, would I approve this expense?”
It is this principle, he argues, that should guide decisions on foreign trips.
“The board must have, for example, a foreign travel policy. Members of any board have what we call a fiduciary responsibility to look around the organisation and say, it is yours. If this company was mine, would I approve this expenditure?,” he quizzed.
He added, “Essentially, that is what fiduciary responsibility is. So the boards must have policies in place that best protect the interests of the company. So this is for all those state enterprises, not just those making profits. Yes, because once you become a board member, you have a fiduciary responsibility.”
Why a Travel Policy Matters
Dr. Donkor believes that without a formal travel policy foreign trips can be approved without clear justification. This spirals state expenditure without proper checks and weakens accountability.
For him, a well-defined policy would ensure that travel is necessary and value-driven, costs are controlled and justified, and decisions are transparent and consistent.
In effect, it shifts the system from discretion to discipline.
The Bottomline
Dr. Donkor maintains that board membership is not a privilege for perks; it is a responsibility to protect public resources and ensure institutions deliver results.
And in that context, every flight, every allowance, and every trip must pass a simple test of whether it serve the interest of the organisation, or not?
