FG Bans Foreign Trips & Training For Civil Servants

THE Federal Government has banned all international travels, as well as foreign training for civil servants with immediate effect, until further notice.

This followed the declining crude oil price in the global market that has impacted negatively on the Nigerian economy.

Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Danladi Kifasi, issued the embargo in a circular entitled: “Restrictions on Foreign Trainings and International Travels by Public Servants,” to all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

He said it had become imperative to introduce a number of cost-saving measures, following the recent development in the international oil market that had affected the revenue stream of government.

Kifasi particularly listed one of the measures instituted by government in salvaging the situation as the ban on foreign trainings and international travels by public servants in all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), including all parastatals beginning from January.

A statement signed by the Assistant Director, Media Relations, said the Head of Service, who used the circular to outline some guidelines to be applied before any public officer shall travel out of the country on government’s expense, explained that “proposals for participation or attendance of international conferences, seminars, workshops, study tours, trainings, presentations of papers, negotiating/signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) abroad at government’s expense, shall no longer be allowed except those that are fully funded by sponsoring/invitation organisations.”

The circular further warned that no ministry, extra-ministerial office, department, agency or parastatal shall send staff outside Nigeria for training at government’s expense whether or not that agency draws funds from the Federal Government budget or meets its financial needs from revenue generated by itself.

It noted that public servants invited for foreign trainings/study tour, conferences by any organisation, government or other bilateral/multilateral organisation would be allowed to travel provided that no travel cost, Estercode application or any other cost on government was involved.

Kifasi, however, maintained that local training would continue, adding that where necessary, foreign experts might be invited to conduct training for which there were no local experts with the knowledge or ability to do such.