By Seun Ibiyemi
The Federal Government has directed ministers, permanent secretaries, heads of ministries, departments and agencies, and other government appointees to obtain prior approval from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation before embarking on official foreign trips.
The directive, issued by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, also requires the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to make evidence of valid approval from the OSGF a mandatory condition for processing official travel documents, including official, diplomatic and service visas.
The directive was contained in a circular titled, “Non-Compliance by Government Appointees with the Requirement for OSGF Approval for Official Foreign Trips and the Mandatory Inclusion of OSGF Approval in the Processing of Official Visas.”
The circular was addressed to top government officials and heads of major Federal Government institutions.
According to the SGF, some government appointees had continued to embark on official foreign trips without obtaining the required clearance, despite several circulars issued over the years to regulate official travels.
“It has been observed with concern that some Federal Government Appointees continue to embark on official foreign trips without obtaining prior approval from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), contrary to extant government directives and established administrative procedures regulating official travels outside the country,” the circular stated.
Akume recalled that previous guidelines were issued to promote accountability, fiscal discipline and effective coordination of government business.
The referenced circulars include the September 18, 2023, guidelines for official travels by cabinet members, heads of agencies and public officials; the March 31, 2015, guidelines for official trips by chairmen of Federal Government committees, boards of corporations and government-owned companies; and the September 27, 2017, additional cost-control measures for foreign trips by ministers and senior government officials.
Others are the March 8, 2018, circular on adherence to regulations guiding foreign trips by public officials and the November 20, 2012, circular on further cost-cutting measures and fiscal prudence on travel by cabinet members.
The SGF said continued non-compliance undermined the government’s efforts to ensure proper coordination, transparency, accountability, prudent management of public resources and effective monitoring of official foreign engagements.
The government consequently reaffirmed that all official foreign trips by government appointees must receive prior OSGF approval, except where otherwise provided by law or through a specific presidential directive.
The circular said the requirement was consistent with the Public Service Rules, the Financial Regulations and other extant government directives.
As part of the new compliance measures, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was directed to include evidence of OSGF approval in the documentation required for official Notes Verbales, diplomatic facilitation and applications relating to official foreign travel.
The ministry was also instructed to formally communicate the requirement to all foreign missions and embassies accredited to Nigeria.
The circular advised that applications for official, diplomatic or service visas by government appointees should, where applicable, be accompanied by duly issued OSGF travel approval.
The measure is expected to provide foreign missions with an additional mechanism for verifying whether Nigerian officials travelling on official business have received the necessary authorisation.
The Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation was directed to demand evidence of OSGF approval from government appointees who undertook official foreign trips at public expense during audit exercises.
The circular further warned that expenditure incurred on unauthorised foreign trips would be reported in line with extant Financial Regulations and applicable audit procedures.
Accounting officers, permanent secretaries, chief executive officers and heads of Federal Government agencies were also directed not to process expenditure relating to official foreign travel unless the requisite approval had been obtained.
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“All Honourable Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Accounting Officers and Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies are hereby directed to ensure strict compliance with the provisions of this Circular,” the SGF stated.
The directive takes immediate effect and supersedes any administrative practice inconsistent with its provisions, without prejudice to existing regulations governing official foreign travel.
The circular was copied to the Presidency, ministers, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the National Security Adviser, senior presidential aides, service chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, heads of regulatory and anti-corruption agencies, the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, and heads of government-owned companies and parastatals.
The directive comes amid heightened scrutiny of individuals and organisations claiming to represent the Federal Government, following the controversy surrounding the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and its self-styled Director-General, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi.
However, the circular does not specifically mention the purported council or Adeyemi. Rather, it establishes a general requirement for all government appointees to obtain central approval before undertaking official foreign engagements.
The government said the measure was aimed at strengthening control over official foreign travel, reducing unauthorised trips and ensuring that persons travelling abroad in the name of Nigeria have the necessary approval to represent the Federal Government.
