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A former Deputy Minister of Information, Felix Kwakye Ofosu has criticized a move by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to purchase a new presidential jet.

According to him, purchasing a new jet will amount to wasting resources at a time most Ghanaians are saddled with economic difficulties.

The government has announced plans to purchase a new presidential jet for the president’s foreign travels.

This was disclosed by the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin at the Jubilee House Monday, September 27 during the Presidency’s weekly press briefing.

According to Mr Arhin, the government of Ghana through the Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul has already started the processes for the procurement of the new jet. 

“You would recollect that when the government of President Kufuor left office in 2008, it had procured two jets – the current Falcon and a bigger one but for one reason or the other, the bigger jet was cancelled, and we were left with just one. That has happened, but you will recall that the Defence Minister stated clearly that the government has decided to buy a bigger jet to save us from all these troubles.”

“I don’t want to go into the details, but I am sure that when the Minister gets the opportunity, he will give further information on what the government is doing in that respect, but I am sure of the fact that government is already in the process of getting a bigger jet for use”, he said.

This revelation comes at a time when the Presidency has dismissed claims made by Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, that Akufo-Addo uses luxury chartered jets while on foreign travels which according to him has cost Ghana GH¢10 million so far.

The presidency has however failed to disclose the cost of the president’s travel.

When the North Tongu MP filed an urgent question on the floor of Parliament to have the Minister of Finance respond to the cost of the President’s foreign travels the first time, the Minister asked for more time to get the figures but he later appeared before the House and said the issue was a matter of National Security.

The MP says he will not relent in his efforts to demand accountability from the government on the matter.

Commenting on this development, Mr Kwakye Ofosu said “So we have woken up to news that the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government has every intention of plunging deeper into ostentatious, lavish and wasteful handling of scare national resources.

“They want to go one better by buying a new, bigger and more luxurious jet to satisfy the creature comfort and lavish taste of the President. “At a time of such economic difficulties and hardships for the ordinary Ghanaian, millions of whom remained unemployed and can barely make ends meet.

“And a time when we have a relatively modern and comfortable Presidential jet.”