Okudzeto Ablakwa stresses need for policy to stop Akufo-Addo from abandoning the presidential jet

Member of Parliament for the North Tongu Constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has stressed the need for Parliament to come out with a policy that will restrict the President from abandoning the Presidential Jet (Falcon 900 EX) for chartered planes during foreign trips.

Speaking with Benjamin Akakpo on Prime Morning Wednesday, he said this will reduce the cost of trips by the President and bring value to the Falcon 900 EX ,which was procured for such trips.

“It is necessary to get a policy that will restrict the President from abandoning the Presidential Jet, which is in a good condition to fly”, he stated.

Okudzeto Ablakwa earlier hinted at filing another urgent question in Parliament to demand full disclosure on the cost of the President’s foreign travels.

The Ranking Member on Foreign Affairs Committee has alleged that President Akufo-Addo’s three recent foreign trips are costing the taxpayer a whopping GH₵10 million.

Mr. Ablakwa has, in his latest statement, accused the President of chartering a luxurious jet costing the taxpayer GH₵3.7 million in his current trip to the United States.

He said, he is interested in that policy because the frequent hiring of expensive planes by Akufo-Addo at the expense of the Falcon 900 EX  is not a good precedent.

The 16-seater Falcon 900 EX which was acquired in 2010 at a cost $37 million is to be used by the President and senior government officials on national and international duties.

Akufo-Addo’s recent trip to Germany has raised concerns about his continual abandoning of the Falcon 900 EX for expensive planes.

Reacting to this, he revealed that his intention of filling for another urgent question in Parliament over Akufo-Addo’s ‘extravagant’ foreign trips is a call to know the cost of each travel by the President.

He explained that it will be easy to know this through a policy that will mandate all Presidents   to use the recognised Presidential Jet because the policy will provide the detailed cost of flying the Falcon 900 EX per hour.

“It is my interest to have a policy that will outline the cost of flying the Presidential Jet as done in other countries”, he added.