President John Mahama Of Ghana Bans First Class Travel For Public Officials

In a renewed effort to cut wasteful spending, President of Ghana John Mahama has banned all the country’s public officials from first class air travel as the nation implements an IMF aid deal to revive state finances.

 The presidency issued the directive this week asking all ministers and other top officials to avoid “unwarranted” foreign trips on the public purse, Communications Minister Edward Omane Boamah told Reuters.

 Ghana is preparing to hold presidential and parliamentary elections in 2016 and, with the opposition accusing government ministers of inflating contract sums, inappropriate spending will likely be a top campaign issue.