The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa is
accusing President Akufo-Addo of monopolizing the blue and white luxury
LX-DIO private jet since July.
The jet, which was used by the
President on November 25 during his trip to Atlanta cost the Ghanaian
taxpayer a whopping US$14,000 per hour, according to Okudzeto Ablakwa.
“It
is instructive to note that since July, the blue & white luxury
LX-DIO has not been available for others to lease due to Akufo-Addo’s
reckless monopolization at great cost to the Ghanaian taxpayer (in
excess of GHS15million thus far).
“When a president decides in a
combined effect to live as a Russian oligarch, a British aristocrat, and
an Arabian King, he would certainly need to impose killer taxes to
sustain his intemperance,” he said in a Twitter post.
“What we
need is a frugal government that cares and is accountable, not a
haughty, insensitive, opaque, and intransigent one,” he added.
This latest allegation follows two others made about the President’s travel choices.
Earlier
this year, Okudzeto Ablakwa stirred controversy when he alleged that
President Akufo-Addo hired a private jet at the cost of ¢2.8 million on
his travels to France, Belgium, and South Africa at the expense of
tax-burned Ghanaians.
He later alleged that the President had
once again chartered another luxurious aircraft on his recent foreign
trips to the UK and Germany.
This was the blue and white LX-DIO private jet in June of this year.
He
filed a question, and Parliament summoned Defence Minister, Dominic
Nitiwul, to answer questions on the cost and why Ghana’s own
presidential jet was not used.
The Minister justified the
president’s decision to rent the aircraft, arguing that the capacity of
the presidential aircraft can no longer carry the president’s entourage.
He told the House that regarding the cost incurred on the trip, the Finance Minister is best to provide those details.
Not satisfied with this answer, Mr Ablakwa filed another question to summon the Finance Minister to speak to the cost.
Ken
Ofori-Atta appeared before Parliament and noted that questions on the
cost and travels of the president will be best answered by the National
Security Ministry.
The National Security Minister is yet to provide information concerning the question asked.
However,
some members of the Majority are of the opinion that the travel cost
and other travel details of the President should be rendered top secret.
According
to the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament, Bryan
Acheampong, the travel information which several Ministers are currently
being tight-lipped on, should not be released into public domain.
He said doing so would fuel political gimmicks.
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