The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, is accusing President Nana Akufo-Addo of monopolising the blue and white luxury LX-DIO private jet since July.
The jet, which was used by the President on November 25 during his trip to Atlanta, cost the Ghanaian taxpayer a whopping US$14,000 per hour, according to Okudzeto Ablakwa.
“It is instructive to note that since July, the blue & white luxury LX-DIO has not been available for others to lease due to Akufo-Addo’s reckless monopolization at great cost to the Ghanaian taxpayer (in excess of GHS15million thus far).
“When a president decides in a combined effect to live as a Russian oligarch, a British aristocrat, and an Arabian King, he would certainly need to impose killer taxes to sustain his intemperance,” he said in a Twitter post.
“What we need is a frugal government that cares and is accountable, not a haughty, insensitive, opaque, and intransigent one,” he added.
A video footage of President Akufo-Addo’s US$14,000-an-hour LX-DIO captured at Kotoka earlier today, ahead of his departure to Atlanta, USA.
— Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) November 25, 2021
It is instructive to note that since July, the blue & white luxury LX-DIO has not been available for others to lease due to Akufo-Addo’s /1 pic.twitter.com/N5iNRdAeVy
This latest allegation follows two others made about the President’s travel choices.
Earlier this year, Mr 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 burdened Ghanaians.
He later alleged that the President had once again chartered another luxurious aircraft on his recent foreign trips to the UK and Germany.
This was the blue and white LX-DIO private jet in June of this year.
He filed a question, and Parliament summoned Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul, to answer questions on the cost and why Ghana’s own presidential jet was not used.
The Minister justified the president’s decision to rent the aircraft, arguing that the capacity of the presidential aircraft can no longer carry the president’s entourage.
He told the House that regarding the cost incurred on the trip, the Finance Minister is best to provide those details.
Not satisfied with this answer, Mr Ablakwa filed another question to summon the Finance Minister to speak to the cost.
Mr Ofori-Atta appeared before Parliament and noted that questions on the cost and travels of the president will be best answered by the National Security Ministry.
The National Security Minister is yet to provide information concerning the question asked.
However, some members of the Majority are of the opinion that the travel cost and other travel details of the President should be rendered top secret.
According to the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament, Bryan Acheampong, the travel information which several Ministers are currently being tight-lipped on, should not be released into public domain.
He said doing so would fuel political gimmicks.