FG bans foreign trips for public officials

The federal government has banned public officials from embarking on international travels and foreign trainings.

According to Mohammed Manga, assistant director (media relations) who released a statement on behalf of head of the civil service of the federation, the announcement is a cost-saving measure following the recent development in the international oil market that has affected the revenue stream of government.

A circular conveying the message, titled ‘Restrictions on Foreign Trainings and International Travels by Public Servants,’ was issued from the office of the head of the civil service of the federation to all ministries, departments and agencies of the federal government.

“Government has embarked on a number of measures to help manage the situation,” Danladi Kifasi, head of the civil service of the federation, said.

“One of such measures is an embargo on foreign trainings and international travels by public servants in all ministries, departments and agencies, including all parastatals, beginning from January 2015.”

Kifasi, who listed guidelines/instructions that will be applied before any public officer shall travel out of the country on government expense, stated that “proposals for participation or attendance of international conferences, seminars, workshops, study tours, trainings, presentations of papers, negotiating/signing of memoranda of understating (MOU) abroad at government expense, shall no longer be allowed except those that are fully funded by sponsoring /invitation organisations”.

The circular further stated that no ministry, extra-ministerial office, department, agency or parastatals shall send staff outside Nigeria for training at government expense, whether or not that agency draws funds from the federal government budget or meets its financial needs from revenue generated by itself.

“Public servants invited for foreign trainings/study tour, conferences by any organisation, government or other bilateral/multilateral organisation will be allowed to travel provided that no travel cost, estacode application or any other cost on government is involved.

“Local training will continue and, where necessary, foreign experts may be invited to conduct trainings for which there are no local experts and requests for international travels is essential and strategic cases must be strictly justified with evidence of sources of funding.”