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Ban On Foreign Travels: What Does Prez Akufo-Addo’s FIAT Seek To Achieve?

Feature Article President Nana Akufo- Addo
JUN 25, 2018 LISTEN
President Nana Akufo- Addo

Their feet maybe be itchy but it appears the fiat is in full swing. Henceforth public officials in Ghana cannot travel abroad until President Akufo-Addo gives his political appointees the green light to do so. In fact, all except the minister in charge of Foreign Affairs is unrestricted. The duration of the suspension is however not known.

A memo from the Jubilee House or the presidency says: “The President of the Republic has directed that, all foreign travels by Hon. Ministers, Deputy Ministers, MMDCEs and Heads of Government Agencies be temporarily suspended with immediate effect.”

The Hon. Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration is however exempted from this temporary ban on foreign travels,” the memo said.

Another communique is in the pipeline ---looks like, which would perhaps give clear-cut road-map as to what the public officials will do tomorrow (as in future). The directive goes on to state: “Guidelines in respect of future foreign travels aimed at minimizing disruption to Government’s domestic work will be communicated to you shortly.”

But what does the phrase: ‘’minimizing disruption to government’s domestic work’ mean? Could it be interpreted that social services delivery at the ministries, departments etc. are below par or have hit the lowest ebb? What else could have informed the president’s decision to cause the issuance of this directive? Is it to cut down wasteful spending? That seems to be the most likely scenario to me, but the government might think otherwise.

Be reminded this is not the first time political appointees in Ghana have faced travel restrictions..In December 2015 former president John Mahama imposed similar travel regulations on government officials which banned public officials from first-class air travel as part of measures to cut wasteful spending. Did it work, if so how much of the taxpayers’ money was saved? I doubt if it was successful. And I think the previous one failed because we didn’t have an independent institution or agency to check the rot in the system.

This is my anticipation. I do not expect the current foreign travels ban to go beyond one year. That’s is unlikely to happen. And what would be the upshot? That government has been able to clear all the bottlenecks that seem to be hampering social services delivery or progress. Again, I am afraid we cannot achieve that in one year and we could also not afford to keep the suspension for more than say three years. Perhaps the inevitable question is: Would the new measures put in place to check this malaise be able stand the test of time?.

Compliance
Eagles love to fly high just as Ghana’s public officials love their foreign travels. But it appears the soaring birds are losing their commanding wings. The move has triggered public debate, which is why one cannot overlook legitimate questions such as these: What did the president see wrong with foreign travels? And would the new measure help sanitise the system if there’s abuse?

Be reminded, President Akufo-Addo isn’t the first African leader to have come out with this measure which also aims at improving social services delivery. Restrictions on foreign travels appears to be a new order in some countries in continental Africa today. Landlocked East African nation --Uganda in early this year 2018, ordered that all public officials must seek clearance before they could travel abroad ‘from an unnamed relevant authority.’

Did that cut down traveling cost? Not in that country. Reports say bills are still high.

In November 2015, similar policy was introduced in Paul Magufuli’s Tanzania. And to prove to Tanzanians that he meant business he turned down many invitations countries abroad (outside Africa) had offered him. President Magufuli truly demonstrated the proverbial leadership by example characteristic.

“You know I don’t like traveling abroad because I’m fond of saving,” the Tanzanian president said.

And out of the many invitations where did he go? He chose to travel to neighbouriing Rwanda. It’s understood in the first five months after assuming office he skipped at least five key international events where he was expected to attend.

Global disease
Former US President Barack Obama family travels cost the United States $114 million during his 8-year presidency. While President Trump’s travels as of November 2017 cost US taxpayers $19 million, according to Judicial Watch a conservative legal group. Mr. Trump’s travels could run much higher than his predecessor’s if he engages in more or many travels.

Among the big-ticket trips were two family vacations during the weekend of February 14 2014, the cost the secret service $272, 193. That weekend, former First Lady Mrs. Obama went on an annual trip to Aspen with her daughters and shut down its airport, the total cost was $88,663.29

So foreign trips seem to be a global disease and many governments are struggling to cut cost. In Ghana’s case the memo, which was signed by the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Opare said the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor-Botchwey is exempted from the directive.

“The President of the Republic has directed that, all foreign travels by Hon. Ministers, Deputy Ministers, MMDCEs and Heads of Government Agencies be temporarily suspended with immediate effect. Guidelines in respect of future foreign travels aimed at minimizing disruption to Government’s domestic work will be communicated to you shortly.”

The outcry
I’m sure my dear readers remember this statement: “I wanted to work, not travel and chop per diem…I don’t see what GTDC is doing. The CEO travels every month for two weeks straight. In April, he was gone for three weeks.”

Akua Djanie who resigned from her position as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourist Development Company, (GTDC), alleged among other things that her boss, was fond of traveling outside the country, neglecting the core duties at the company. Indeed some officials in government have had the cause to complain about incessant travels of some public officials who in most cases are unable to justify why they traveled outside the country. Must we overlook this wasteful spending?

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