General News of Saturday, 2 October 2021
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
Dr. Gideon Boako, spokesperson for Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, has explained why Ghana needs a new presidential jet amid the raging public and political debate about its propriety or otherwise.
Dr. Boako explained on Joy FM’s News File programme of October 2, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo‘s decision to charter jets for travels outside the continent was based on advice from National Security.
He said the outfit had advised that the current jet was not safe for travels beyond four to six hours hence the need to charter jets for longer trips.
“The President at all materials times whether he was traveling within the continent across the oceans was using the presidential jet. President Akufo-Addo prior to September 2018 had consistently used the presidential jet until the jet developed some faults and the National Security advised that the presidential jet in such a state will be not proper for travels across the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans.
“So the President uses it (Presidential jet) anytime he is traveling within ECOWAS. It is only when he is going on a long haul journey which is beyond four to six hours that he uses chartered flights.”
The debate around presidential travels and the jet has been championed by North Tongu Member of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who has alleged that three luxurious charter travels by the president had cost the taxpayer in excess of 10 million cedis.
Eugene Arhin, Director of Communications at the Presidency announced recently that the government had plans of acquiring a new presidential jet because the current one was not fit for purpose.
He said Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul will give further details on the planned acquisition in due course.