President John Dramani Mahama has ordered an immediate end to state-funded international travel by boards of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and public institutions, citing the cost of overseas trips for conferences, training programmes, retreats, and study tours at public expense.
The directive, dated March 5, 2026, was issued from the Jubilee House and signed by Secretary to the President Callistus Mahama.
The instruction applies to all state-owned enterprises and public institutions, bringing an abrupt halt to a practice the government said had grown both in frequency and expense.
“It has come to the attention of the President that some Boards of State-Owned Enterprises and other public institutions have increasingly undertaken international travel for training programmes, retreats, conferences, and study tours,” the directive stated.
It acknowledged the importance of exposure to international best practice and continuous professional development, the government expressed serious reservations about the cumulative cost of such travel, which often involved multiple board members and extended itineraries.
The presidency indicated that expenditure on airfares, accommodation, per diems and associated logistics had become a source of concern at a time when firm measures were being implemented to ensure fiscal discipline
The ban is comprehensive, Boards of SOEs and public institutions are prohibited from undertaking any international travel for training, retreats, conferences or study tours funded directly or indirectly from public resources, effective immediately.
However, the directive provides a narrow exemption for cases where an international engagement is considered genuinely unavoidable.
In such development, the institution’s board must submit a formal request through its supervising minister to the Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, seeking the express approval of the President before any arrangements are made.
The request must outline the purpose and expected outcomes, the strategic relevance of the trip to the institution’s mandate, the number of proposed participants, the estimated total cost, and a clear explanation of why the objectives cannot be achieved locally or through virtual means.
The presidency directed that institutions should prioritise local training programmes, in-country retreats and partnerships with universities, professional bodies and local training institutes as cost-effective alternatives.
It added that where specialised expertise is required, institutions are to explore virtual platforms and short-term in-country expert engagements rather than sending full board delegations abroad.
Ministers have been instructed to ensure that boards focus their activities primarily on their statutory oversight and governance responsibilities, and that any training or capacity-building initiatives are carefully assessed for value, necessity and cost-effectiveness.
The presidency described the directive as part of a broader government effort to strengthen expenditure controls, reduce non-essential public spending, and redirect scarce national resources toward priority programmes, infrastructure development and social interventions that directly benefit Ghanaians.
