2 Mins Read
ADNees-Regional: As the effects of the war in the Middle East continue to be felt around the globe, the government of the West African State of The Gambia has put on hold all non-statutory official travel by its officials.
By Ismaila M.S. Naban
State House in Banjul informed the general public on Tuesday that, President Adama Barrow “has directed the immediate suspension of all non-statutory official travel” by public officials across the government.
“This decision comes in response to the prevailing global situation arising from the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, which has had significant adverse effects on global economic conditions.
“These developments have disrupted international supply chains and constrained access to essential goods and services, thereby placing increased pressure on national resources,” the office of the Gambian presidency stated in a press release.
In light of these challenges, the Office reasoned, the government has deemed it necessary to adopt stringent fiscal measures and prioritize critical expenditures, in line with principles of prudent public financial management. Accordingly, it stressed that all non-statutory official travel “is suspended with immediate effect and until further notice”.
However, the President’s office intimated that, in exceptional cases where travel is strictly statutory, unavoidable, and demonstrably essential, prior approval must be obtained from the Office of the President before any travel arrangements are made. It went on, “All such requests must be rigorously scrutinized, fully justified, and limited to the minimum number of officials required. This responsibility rests with Permanent Secretaries, Heads of Departments and Agencies, Executive Directors, Chief Executive Officers, Director Generals, Managing Directors, and General Managers.
“This directive is issued pursuant to the Government’s commitment to ensuring the prudent management of public resources and will be implemented in accordance with the Public Finance Act, Financial Regulations, and the General Orders governing the Public Service.”
To ensure strict enforcement, the President’s office disclosed, the Director General of Gambia Immigration has been instructed to deny exit clearance to any public official traveling on official duty without valid authorization from the Office of the President, whether by land, sea, or air. It added that all Accounting Officers are required to ensure full compliance with this directive, warning that “any breach will constitute misconduct and may result in administrative and disciplinary action in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
“This directive takes immediate effect and shall remain in force until otherwise advised,” the state house informed the public.
Comments are closed.