Sonko tightens grip on state travel with new DG oversight rules

In a bold move to curb excessive administrative travel, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has rolled out stringent new regulations governing overseas trips for ministers and directors-general of state-owned enterprises. The policy shift aims to bring greater transparency to what the government views as uncontrolled and often unjustified expenditures.

Directors-general under tighter scrutiny for foreign missions

Under the new framework, all travel requests from ministers will face immediate rejection unless deemed absolutely essential. However, the Prime Minister acknowledged that directors-general had previously operated with fewer restrictions, often seeking approval from their respective supervisory authorities rather than the head of government.

Sonko revealed that an internal audit of recent travel records uncovered alarming patterns. ‘A review of the past three months exposed concerning trends,’ he stated. ‘Certain directors-general spent up to 30 days abroad within a single quarter—20 or even 15 days in some cases. This level of absence from their duties cannot be justified.’

To address these discrepancies, the Prime Minister announced sweeping changes to the foreign mission approval process. Moving forward, all overseas travel requests—regardless of rank—will require direct validation from his office. ‘This system will be corrected,’ he declared. ‘No further trips will proceed without my explicit approval.’

Excessive travel draws public and political scrutiny

The announcement comes amid growing concerns over public spending and accountability in government operations. Critics have long questioned the necessity of frequent international travel by high-ranking officials, particularly when such trips appear to offer limited return on investment for taxpayer funds.

The Prime Minister’s crackdown signals a broader effort to instill fiscal discipline and restore confidence in the management of state resources. By centralizing control over travel authorizations, the government seeks to eliminate loopholes that have allowed unchecked spending in the past.