President John Dramani Mahama has slapped a ban on foreign travels for non-essential cases for all appointees of government. This announcement was made Friday when 17 Ministers took their oath of office in Accra, tasked among other things with the responsibility of ensuring fiscal discipline and shun arrogance and extravagance.
"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," President Mahama said.
The President instructed the Chief of Staff, in writing, to inform all appointees of the ban as a way to cut unnecessary spending. "I have asked the Chief of Staff to write to all government appointees that I have imposed a ban on non-essential travels forthwith to cut down expenditure. Any travel that is deemed essential and necessary must be cleared first with the Chief of Staff, and such travels will have to be undertaken with modesty—no first class," he declared.
President Mahama urged appointees to avoid ostentatious living and instead wear modest faces, reflecting the determination of the government to adhere to fiscal discipline. "Also, all traces of affluence and lavish lifestyle are to be avoided. The people of Ghana are enduring difficult times, occasioned by hardships, resulting from the economic mismanagement of the last eight years, and ours is to work to lift them out of this hole," he added.
This forms a broader government strategy to be continued with responsible use of public resources in the best interest of the Ghanaian people. Non-essential traveling was banned, showing modesty as a culture, the administration became committed to prudent financial management and accountability.
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