Presidency Dismisses Ablakwa’s Claim Akufo-Addo Flew Luxurious Private Jet To Belgium

• The Presidency has denied claims by opposition MP Okudzeto Ablakwa that President Nana Akufo-Addo flew a luxury private from Accra to Brussels, Belgium recently
• According to Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, the president flew a commercial airline, Air France
• Mr Arhin, however, admitted that the president and his entourage travelled from Brussels to Kigali via a private jet to continue their international assignment

The Presidency has dismissed claims by opposition MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa that President Nana Akufo-Addo chartered a private jet that cost the taxpayer GH¢167,000 per hour for his recent trips to Belgium and Rwanda.

Director of Communications at the Presidency Eugene Arhin in a three-page statement issued on Friday, June 23 debunked the claims noting that they are inaccurate. According to him, the President travelled to Belgium onboard an Air France Commercial Flight (AF0584).

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He noted that all of President Akufo-Addo’s 12-member delegation travelled commercial.

“These claims by the North Tongu MP are not accurate, and as a Member of Parliament, I was hoping he would have been factual and truthful in his claims, and resisted the urge to engage in propaganda,” Mr Arhin stated.

Eugene Arhin, however, admitted that the president and his delegation flew a chartered flight for 8h 40min from Brussels to Kigali on Wednesday, 22nd June.

"This was done to ensure that the President made it to Kigali on time to participate in the ground-breaking ceremony on Thursday, 23rd June, for commencement of work on the Pan-African Vaccine Manufacturing Project, involving Ghana, Rwanda, Senegal and BioNTech SE, the German biotechnology company, as well as attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, which also is being held in Kigali, Rwanda."

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The director of communications also gave a breakdown of the president's travels from Ghana on June 19 in the statement published in full below.

"Incorrigible president"

YEN.com.gh reported earlier that Mr Okudzeto Ablakwa criticised the President for costing the Ghanaian taxpayer €20,000 an hour for flying the “luxury monster”.

Taking it to his Facebook timeline, Mr Ablakwa wrote:

“Incorrigible President Akufo-Addo has done it again. After pretending he was a changed man by flying commercial on his last two trips to the US and the UK, he has returned to his grossly insensitive and reckless ways of profligate traveling in ultra-luxurious charters.”

“For President Akufo-Addo’s current trip to Belgium and Rwanda; we can confirm a conservative bill of €480,000.00. The 480,000 Euros which is derived from 21 hours of total flight time plus other industry charges works out to some 4.1million Ghana Cedis at current exchange rate.

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Source: YEN.com.gh