Mills rejects per diem

President John Evans Atta Mills has taken a firm decision not to receive per diem allowances for his foreign travels in view of the precarious state of the national economy.

Sources at the Osu Castle quote the President as saying there is no need for the allowance because all the needs of travelling presidents are catered for. Hosting countries cater for the feeding, lodging, local transportation and other expenses of travelling Presidents.

Since assuming office, President Mills has travelled to the United Kingdom, La Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Togo.

He is also expected to visit an African country shortly. The decision by President Mills is expected to reduce the cost of Presidential travels and serve as a pointer to public officials that he remains committed to running an austere government.

Since assuming office, President Mills has also reduced the size of the Presidential convoy to only four cars.

The Vice President’s convoy has also been reduced to three cars. The size of foreign delegations has also been substantially reduced. At a meeting with a delegation of the Committee for Joint Action (CJA), Professor Mills promised to deal drastically with any member of his administration who engages in corrupt practices.