The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, is set to file two distinct questions demanding disclosure of the full cost of President Akufo-Addo’s trip to the United States.
Speaking on Accra-based CitiFm, Ablakwa iterated, this is to seek answers as to why the President chartered a luxurious jet that cost GH₵3.7 million for his recent trip.
“The President has again chartered another flight which cost us GHS 3.7 million. I am filing two other questions on the latest revelations and I am hoping that this time, the government Ministers will not pussyfoot and run away from accountability as they have done all of these months,”
The Minority Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs had initially filed two urgent questions in Parliament requiring disclosure of the cost details of the President’s foreign travels.
He had earlier claimed that the President hired a private jet at an amount of GHS2.8 million on his initial travels to only South Africa and France instead of using the Falcon presidential jet.
Mr. Ablakwa in his recent claim, affirmed President Akufo-Addo’s three recent foreign trips cost the taxpayer GHS10 million.
“ A cumulative sum of President Akufo-Addo’s recent three luxury trips abroad imposes a colossal GHS10million on the suffering Ghanaian taxpayer”.
The Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee could not comprehend why the President had resorted to a luxurious jet at the neglect of the presidential Falcon 900 EX.
The President and senior government officials are expected to use the 16-seater Falcon 900 EX which was acquired in 2010 at $37million.
President Akufo-Addo is in the United States to participate in the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly High-Level at the UN Headquarters in New York.