John Dramani Mahama has directed that boards of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) and public institutions cease undertaking international travel for training programmes, retreats, conferences and study tours funded with public resources.

The directive, contained in a circular issued by the Office of the President and addressed to all Ministers of state, takes immediate effect.

According to the communication, the decision follows concerns about the increasing frequency and cost of international trips undertaken by boards of public institutions.

The government noted that such travels—often involving multiple board members and extended itineraries—have resulted in significant expenditure on airfares, accommodation, per diems and other logistics, placing avoidable pressure on public finances.

The directive emphasised that the measure forms part of broader efforts by the government to enforce fiscal discipline, strengthen public financial management and ensure responsible use of national resources.

Under the new guidelines, boards of State-Owned Enterprises and other public institutions are prohibited from embarking on international travel for training or similar activities at the expense of the state.

However, in exceptional cases where such engagements cannot reasonably be undertaken locally or through virtual platforms, ministers supervising the institutions must submit formal requests to the President for approval before any arrangements are made.

Requests for such approvals must include detailed justification outlining the purpose and expected outcomes of the travel, its strategic relevance to the institution’s mandate, the number of participants involved, the estimated total cost and reasons the objectives cannot be achieved locally or virtually.

The government has also encouraged Ministries and their affiliated institutions to prioritise local training programmes, in-country retreats and partnerships with universities, professional bodies and other reputable institutions within Ghana.

Additionally, institutions have been urged to explore virtual training platforms, technical exchanges and short-term expert engagements within the country instead of international travel involving full board delegations.

The directive further called on boards to focus primarily on their core governance responsibilities and ensure that any capacity-building initiatives undertaken are carefully assessed for value, necessity and cost-effectiveness.

Government said the policy is intended to reduce non-essential public expenditure and redirect scarce resources toward priority programmes, infrastructure development and social interventions that directly benefit citizens.

Ministers have been instructed to bring the directive to the immediate attention of boards, chief executive officers and management teams of state-owned enterprises and public institutions under their supervision to ensure strict compliance.