By Eugenia Asumadu-Sakyi
The MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, is calling for a National Presidential Travel Policy to enforce strict guidelines and check expensive travels at the expense of the country’s purse.
His call comes after allegations that President Akufo-Addo hired another luxurious aircraft on his recent foreign trips to the UK and Germany. Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa stated that trips on the hired jet cost the state £14 thousand per hour and a cumulative ¢3.46 million.
Earlier this year, Mr. 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.
“Americans have been using their jet which commissioned Since 1991. They are still using it. President Akufo-Addo is refusing to use the Presidential jet and all the reasons used are not legitimate and sound. They just don’t cut it. When you say for example that the President wants a bigger jet than our presidential jet takes 17 people. If you look at all these luxurious VIP jets, the president is chattering 19 seaters, it’s just 2 seats difference. What is the difference between 17 and 19 seaters? It is clear that President Akufo-Addo is not acting like his predecessor uses. He is not acting like President Mahama, President Atta Mills and President Kufuor. He is abusing the discretion so a national Presidential travel policy will enforce strict guidelines and President Akufo-Addo and any government will be obliged to comply with that travel policy,” Mr. Okudzeto stated.
He added that “If you look at what pertains in the USA, even when you used air force 1, for official assignment and as part of that assignment it is a mixed assignment where probably you do a detour to attend a party fundraiser or a party campaign or a graduation of your son or grandchildren, you will be asked to reimburse there are strict guidelines and those are rich nations who are protecting the public purse, so I want something along those lines that will regulate or take away those discretion which is being randomly abuse by the President,” the North Tongu P stated.
