President Nana Akufo-Addo has placed a ban on international travel by all ministers of state and their deputies for at least the next month, except in the case of travel occasioned by serious medical emergency, sources close to the Office of the President have confirmed to Asaase News.

The action by President Akufo-Addo will be the second of its kind since he assumed office as President of the Republic in January 2017.

On 21 June 2018, the president, in a letter signed by his Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei Opare, directed that all foreign travel by ministers, deputy ministers, metropolitan/municipal/district chief executives and heads of government agencies be suspended temporarily with immediate effect.

“Guidelines in respect of future foreign travels aimed at minimizing disruption to the government’s domestic work will be communicated to you shortly,” the 2018 directive said.

All hands on deck
It is not clear what has informed the latest decision by the president to ban all ministers and their deputies from travelling outside Ghana.

However, given that most of the president’s ministers and deputy ministers are serving MPs, and that appropriations for the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy must be passed by Parliament, the presidential directive is possibly intended to ensure that all members of the Majority Caucus in Parliament are available to fulfil domestic responsibilities and carry out parliamentary work.