Guinea’s military junta chief, General Mamady Doumbouya, has banned ministers from travelling abroad without his permission and recalled all those currently out of the country, his office announced.

The statement, issued on Thursday, is effective immediately and until the end of the year, the government’s general secretary said.

“On the instructions of the president,” read the statement, “it is required of all ministers on mission abroad to finish up and return to national territory.”

Several ministers are currently abroad.

Government spokesman Ousmane Gaoual Diallo said the decision was made to cut back on public spending.

The measure “reinforces government efficacy while assuring an optimal management of the state’s resources”, he told AFP.

Senior members of government departments and diplomats are still able to represent the country abroad, he added.

Former colonel, Doumbouya, now president of the West African country and promoted to general, seized power in September 2021.

The junta initially bowed to international pressure to hand back power to civilian rule by the end of 2024.

But it has since admitted it will not fulfil the commitment.

Several members of the government have spoken in favour of Doumbouya running in the next presidential election.