This archive report was first published on 26 September 2019.
On September 26, 2019, the National Treasury and Planning introduced measures to curb government expenditures in new guidelines that limit the use of government vehicles to official working hours only.
According to a circular issued by Treasury acting Cabinet Secretary Amb Ukur Yatani, government officials have been encouraged to make calls using the internet to save money.
The guidelines, which apply to all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in the National Government, Judiciary, Parliament, Independent Officers, and Commissions, aim to enhance expenditure control and fiscal discipline in the management of public resources.
Yatani stated that the measures were necessary due to the need to enhance requirements for the 'Big Four' Plan, emerging expenditure pressures, the underperformance of revenue, and the already high level of borrowing.
The Treasury directed accounting officers to undertake the following measures with immediate effect:
- Training: All training, except highly specialized courses, will be conducted in the country.
- Newspapers: The number of newspapers given to staff should be rationalized to restrict spending.
- Foreign travel and air travel: The number of delegations for foreign travel should be minimized, and staff should be encouraged to utilize technology.
- Communication and airtime allowances: Staff should be encouraged to use internet calls and other cheaper options, such as Google Voice, WhatsApp, FaceTime, Skype, NobelApp, imo, and Viber.
- Publicity and advertisement: There will be no more newspaper supplements to publicize strategic plans, and the Ministry website should be used instead.
- Acquisition of motor vehicles: Only selected senior officers will be allowed to use government vehicles.
- Renting and partitioning of offices: Before renting, MDAs should first exhaust occupation/lease of office space in government buildings before acquiring space from the market.
- Purchase of furniture: All purchase of furniture should be reduced by 75 percent for the next 3 years and should be restricted to locally manufactured products.
- Use of government vehicles: No officer should use government transport outside official working hours unless authorized by the accounting officer in writing.
