The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has threatened to stage the biggest demonstration ever against government over President Akufo-Addo’s use of private aircraft for his foreign trips.
Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says the President’s trips are having an adverse effect on the public purse.
In a Facebook post, Mr. Ablakwa noted that the protest would take place if the President refuses to use the Presidential jet for his trips between Thursday, April 7, to Friday, May 27.
According to the North Tongu MP, May 27, is imperative as it marks exactly a year since he commenced his publications on the “Sky Bath Scandal” involving the President.
“We wish to serve notice that since next month —precisely, May 27, will be exactly a year when I first published revelations on what has become widely known as the “Sky Bath Scandal” — if between now and 27th May, 2022, President Akufo-Addo once again abandons Ghana’s Presidential Jet and charters an ultra-luxury US$18,000 an hour executive jet, we will and are absolutely ready to stage what shall be the biggest demonstration ever to hit his government. Notice is hereby served,” he wrote.
In his recent update, Mr Okudzeto Ablakwa indicated that President Akufo-Addo once again “dispatched his favourite obscenely extravagant LX-DIO executive jet back to Paris, France as he returned to Accra last night aboard a Boeing 777-236(ER) British Airways commercial flight with call sign BAW81 at 8:10pm.”
The MP said it cost the country GH¢3.5million to cater for President Akufo-Addo’s trip.
Mr Ablakwa noted that such huge expenditure is unacceptable for “a supposedly broke West African nation which only recently announced major expenditure cuts.”
He described government initiatives announced by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta as merely cosmetic and not intended to be complied with by “an obstinate oligarchic President.”
Meanwhile, the North Tongu MP has accused government of evading accountability to Ghanaians over the huge cost of foreign trips taken by the President.
According to Mr Ablakwa, the “hiding at a Usain Boltic speed” has been happening for 11 months.
Nonetheless, he assured that “in a modern democracy – transparency and accountability are not optional choices but an obligation.”
“We shall continue to demand total and absolute accountability,” he added.
