FG Bans Foreign Trips For Officials Using Government Fund

The Federal government has banned
all public officials from embarking
on international travels and foreign
training using government funds.
The ban was contained in a circular
released today February 5th by the
office of the head of the Civil
Service of the Federation, Dr
Danladi Kifasi.
The circular, titled ‘Restrictions on
Foreign Trainings and International
Travels by Public Servants, stated
that the move is part of the Federal
governments measure to manage its
funds in the face of the current slide
in oil price in the international
market.
“ Government has embarked on a
number of measures to help
manage the situation. 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.” the statement
said The statement went further to
add 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.
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.”