Ademola Adeleke, the governor of Osun State, has immediately halted any overseas travel for the remainder of the year by state officials.
Adeleke also gave the directive that going forward, state spending should be concentrated on carrying out crucial projects across all sectors.
This information was revealed in a statement provided to OBASANJO NEWS24 on Monday in Osogbo and signed by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed.
While announcing the ban on international travel, the governor made a suggestion that such visits might still be made in the event of a genuine emergency that requires his approval.
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The decision was made, according to the statement, at the conclusion of the State Executive Council meeting last Thursday.
“External travel for senior officials is hereby prohibited for the remainder of the year, unless a direct emergency requiring the governor’s approval exists.
“The Governor ordered that senior officials’ foreign travel be immediately halted. For attendance and involvement at international business and investment events, he encouraged the use of virtual meetings.
According to the statement, “We must maintain the momentum of our service delivery by avoiding excessive spending on recurrent and overheads.”
Adeleke read out important policy guidelines regarding state governance as she urged caution in the budget planning process.
He also demanded that cabinet members make personal sacrifices, arguing that everyone in the administration must show willingness to make sacrifices in light of the difficult financial condition the state is in.
“We have many needs, including those for an office and housing, but we have few resources. Therefore, we must come up with a coping strategy while we wait for an improvement in our funding situation, he said.
The governor also instructed the Head of Service to draught a memo to simplify the interaction between the Commissioners and Special Advisers in order to enforce efficiency in the governance process.
In an effort to avoid potential rivalry among top appointees, the Governor stated, “While memos by Special Advisers must pass through the Permanent Secretary to the Commissioners, the Commissioners must ensure fair play and accommodating spirit.”