President Adama Barrow has given an executive directive suspending all overseas travels for government officials including state ministers and heads of government institutions for the rest of 2023.

In a statement signed by Ebrima G. Sankareh, spokesman and presidential diaspora adviser, said: “His Excellency President Adama Barrow, has effective immediately, suspended all Government foreign travels for the rest of the fiscal year, 2023.

“Acting on authority vested in him by Section 76 (1) of the 1997 Constitution of The Gambia and conscious of the need to curb Government expenditure, President Barrow signed the Executive Order suspending all overseas travels by The President, the Vice-President, Cabinet Ministers, Senior Government Officials, Civil Servants and employees across all Government institutions and agencies.”

“Exempted from this Order are travels to Statutory meetings where The Gambia’s participation is mandatory and foreign trips fully funded by external sources. These exemptions are, however, subject to the prior approval of The President or an authorized official.

“Accordingly, all Gambia Government entities are obliged to strictly comply with the Presidential Executive Order by freezing travels in their respective Ministries, Departments or Agencies for the remainder of the 2023 fiscal year,” the statement added.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba