Geingob restricts foreign trips

WINDHOEK, Jan. 31 – President Hage Geingob has issued a directive that restricts outbound travel by Ministers, Deputy Ministers and other Political Office Bearers.

“This directive is specifically in the interest of curtailing public expenditure, (and) no request for outbound travel by Ministers, Deputy Ministers and other Political Office Bearers will be considered until after the end of February 2018,” according to a statement from Statehouse.

Geingob has led by example on containing his own travel expenditure, undertaking outbound travel with smaller delegations since assuming office almost 3 years ago. Most recently, he has forgone the use of the official Presidential jet both during the December 2017 vacation and the AU Summit underway in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The President has instead chosen to use scheduled commercial flights as they proved to be more cost-effective for the routes he traveled. – NDN Staffer