FG Bars Government Appointees from Official Foreign Trips Without OSGF Approval

The Federal Government has barred ministers, heads of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), and other government appointees from embarking on official foreign trips without prior approval from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).

 

The government also directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to make evidence of valid OSGF approval a mandatory requirement for processing official travel documents, including official, diplomatic and service visas for government appointees.

 

The directive was contained in a circular signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and addressed to senior government officials and heads of major Federal Government institutions.

 

The 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,” said the government had observed continued violations of existing rules on official foreign travel.

 

“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.

 

The SGF said the requirement was aimed at promoting accountability, fiscal discipline, transparency and effective coordination of government business.

 

Under the new directive, all official foreign trips by government appointees must receive prior OSGF approval before departure, except where otherwise provided by law or through a specific presidential directive.

 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was directed to include evidence of valid OSGF approval in the processing of requests for official Notes Verbales, diplomatic facilitation and applications relating to official foreign travel.

 

The ministry was also asked to notify foreign missions and embassies in Nigeria that applications for official, diplomatic or service visas by government appointees should, where applicable, be accompanied by the required OSGF approval.

 

The Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation was similarly directed to verify compliance during audit exercises.

 

According to the circular, any government appointee who undertakes an official foreign trip at public expense must produce evidence of the requisite approval during an audit.

 

The government warned that expenditure incurred on unauthorised foreign trips would be reported in accordance with existing financial regulations and 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 required OSGF approval had been obtained.

 

The directive takes immediate effect and applies broadly to ministers, senior political appointees, permanent secretaries, security chiefs, heads of regulatory and anti-corruption agencies, electoral institutions, financial institutions and other government bodies.

 

The development comes amid heightened scrutiny of individuals claiming to represent the Federal Government, following 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, but establishes a general approval and verification framework for official foreign engagements by government appointees.

 

The measures are expected to strengthen government oversight of official foreign travel, prevent unauthorised representation of Nigeria abroad and ensure greater accountability in the use of public funds.