North Tongu Member of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and others, have started an online petition to stop President Nana Akufo-Addo from hiring luxurious jets for international travels.
The petition, which was set up in less than 24 hours, has garnered about 1,113 signatures, is calling on the President to use the Ghana Airforce Falcon 900EX jet for his foreign travels instead.
On Thursday, Mr Ablakwa, who doubles as the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, accused President Akufo-Addo of ostentatious spending even as the country goes through economic hardship.
He revealed that the President spent £345,000, i.e. ¢2,828,432.80 at the current exchange rate in flight cost during his nine-day visit to France, Belgium, South Africa, and back to the country.
“Per Flightradar24, the G-KELT aircraft left Accra with the President to Paris on May 16, a six-and-half hour duration. Airlifted the President from Paris to Johannesburg for 11 hours on May 23.
“Then Johannesburg to Accra on May 25, was a five-and-half hour flight. This gives us accumulated flight travel of 23 hours, so at £15,000 an hour, it thus cost us a colossal £345,000. At the current exchange, that is a staggering ¢2,828,432.80,” he revealed.
The amount has startled the citizenry as many try to resuscitate their livelihoods following the devastating effects of the Covid-19.
Meanwhile, the Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul, is yet to appear before Parliament to answer an urgent question on the government’s extravagant foreign travels.
