Govt restricts external travels

Government has with immediate effect restricted the number of external travels by all government officials to three in every financial year, spokesperson for the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC), Arthur Chipenda has confirmed.

Chipenda denied that government had set the restriction because it is broke.

“I just want to confirm to you that the Chief Secretary to the Government, George Mkondiwa, has indeed issued a circular to all controlling officers and heads of all other public institutions on the limitation of external travel to three in a financial year.

“You may wish to be informed that the Chief Secretary to the Government, as the head of the public service, has the responsibility to ensure prudent utilisation of public resources.

“Such a communication does not in any way mean government does not have financial resources. It is to remind all public servants of the need to focus on implementing programmes within the country,” he said.

The move comes at a time there is uncertainty to whether Malawi’s donors will resume aid.

The letter dated November 7 2014 is also addressed to Clerk of Parliament, chief executive officers of parastatals, heads of subvented organisations, all chief executive officers, mayors, city chairpersons, municipal, town and district councils.

“Where external travel is donor funded, there shall be no government financial outlay towards such travel, in this regards top up allowance shall not be paid towards fully funded external travel,” reads the communiqué in part.

In the same vein, government has also stopped sponsoring external training especially if they can be attained locally.

“Government shall not fund any short and long-term training obtained at local, public, private, educational and training institutions,” reads the letter.