In a drastic move to protect the public purse, control government expenditure, and promote fiscal discipline, President John Dramani Mahama has imposed an immediate ban on all non-essential travel for all his appointees.
The ban also announced a ban on first-class tickets for all appointees who will need to undertake any essential travels.
However, such essential travels, the President insists must be sanctioned by the Chief of Staff of the administration.
The president made this bold announcement today, Friday, February 7, 2025, when he sworn in the new batch of ministers who have been approved by parliament at the Presidency.
President Mahama, in announcing the measures underscored that his administration will be built on the hallmark of modesty, respect, and more importantly, the judicious utilization of public funds. He cautioned his appointees that there would be no room for extravagance and arrogance.
He justifies government resources belong to the people and should not be misused for luxury.
“The hallmark of this government will be modesty and respect for the Ghanaian people. There will be no room for arrogance and pomposity in this government. The resources that you will be working with belong to the Ghanaian people who put us in office. Those resources are not to be wasted on opulence and extravagance,” he remarked.
To implement and solidify this move, he indicated that the Chief of Staff will formally write to all appointees to drum home the ban.
“I have asked the Chief of Staff to write to all government appointees that I have imposed a ban on non-essential travel forthwith to cut down expenditure. Any travel that is deemed essential and necessary must be cleared first with the Office of the Chief of Staff, and such travels will have to be undertaken in modesty, no first class,” he announced.
This move comes on the heels of a stressed economy with a very high debt overhang and high repayment obligations and inadequate domestic debt mobilization.
The ban on non-essential travel and first-class tickets aligns with growing public demand for responsible governance and reduced government expenditure but the real question is ‘how will this ban translate into real savings for the economy?”
The announcement has been widely praised by economic analysts and governance experts as a step in the right direction, signaling a commitment to financial prudence.
However, as the new administration takes off many will be watching closely to see how these measures translate into real savings and improved fiscal management.
