President John Mahama has directed the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, to impose a ban on none-essential travel by all government appointees.
He said any travel by his appointees must be cleared by the Chief of Staff.
“I have asked the Chief of Staff to ban all non-essential travels. Any travel must be cleared with the Chief of Staff. Such trips, if approved, must be done in modesty, no first class,” he said on Friday February 7.
President Mahama said this when he swore into office, 17 new ministers. They are made up of substantive ministers, ministers of state and regional ministers.
The sector ministers sworn-in were; Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah-Akandoh, Sam George, Minister for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovation, Sports Minister, Kofi Adams, Minister for Environment and Science, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Abklakwa, Transport Minister, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, Minister of State-in-charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Labour Minister, Rashid Pelpuo and Minister of State-in-charge of Climate Change and Sustainability, Issifu Seidu.
The Regional Ministers were; Ahafo Regional Minister, Charity Gardiner, Savannah Regional Minister, Salifu Bi-Awuribe, Western Regional Minister, Joseph Nelson, Western-North Regional Minister, Wilbert Petty Brentum, Bono Regional Minister, Joseph Addae Akwaboa, Upper West Regional Minister, Charles Lwanga Puozuing.
President Mahama charged them to be modest in their expenditure.
“The hallmark of this government will be modesty. I expect the best from all of you. You must dig deep into your resources to meet the expectations of Ghanaians,” he stressed.
According to the President, he expects Parliament to expedite the vetting of the recently nominated deputy ministers.
“So far, we have sworn-in a total of 42 ministers. I have nominated 13 more who are yet to be vetted. I expect Parliament to expedite the vetting of the 13 nominees. In the coming days, I will nominate four more to make up the sixty,” he said.