Member of Parliament for North Tongu consituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has refuted reports that he said President Akufo-Addo travelled in Airbus ACJ319 registered D-Alex to Belgium and Rwanda.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story on Friday, he stated that he never said that President travelled in D-Alex.
“Nowhere in my revelation did I say that they (President Akufo-Addo and 12-member delegation) left Accra in D-Alex, the €20,000 an hour jet.”
“Where in my post did I say the President left in a chartered ACJ319 registered D-Alex from Accra? “ he quizzed.
This follows a communique from the Presidency dismissing claims by the North Tongu MP that President Akufo-Addo chartered a German-based private jet operator – K5-Aviation, on his recent trips to Belgium and Rwanda.
The release also noted that Mr Ablakwa, pointed out that the President’s trips to Belgium, and subsequently to Rwanda were aboard an Airbus A0319, registered D-Alex, adding that “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”.
In response, Mr Ablakwa insisted the “Presidency is setting their own questions and seeking to mislead the public and just muddy the waters.”
He clarified that he only said that with the charter, ” we will be billed for 21 hours.”
As a result, he stated that the release by the Director of Communications of the President, Eugene Arhin, clearly shows that he needs education on Aviation matters, particularly chartered jet work.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa had earlier today criticised the President for costing the Ghanaian taxpayer €20,000 an hour for flying the “luxury monster”.
Mr Ablakwa wrote on Facebook, “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 travelling 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 derived from 21 hours of total flight time plus other industry charges works out to some ¢4.1 million at the current exchange rate.”