The decision to buy a luxurious presidential jet for President Nana Akufo-Addo is unjustified, General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said.
John Asiedu Nketia maintained that, if the only reason for the purchase of a new jet is to enable the President have his shower in the air then it is untenable.
Government was subjected to public scrutiny when it emerged that it rented a jet for President Akufo-Addo’s recent travels which allegedly cost £15,000 per hour.
Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul is justifying his position that no president can even shower in Ghana’s presidential jet.
He told Parliament President Nana Akufo-Addo could not use the Falcon Jet on his recent business trips to France, Belgium and South Africa because it lacked some facilities despite its being airworthy.
The Minority, led by Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said the reasons amounted to insulting to the intelligence of Ghanaians.
In support, Asiedu Nketia said the argument being made is false because he knows for a fact that the presidential jet is in good condition.
“Why should Akufo-Addo shower in the air? They just want to misuse the taxes at the expense of Ghanaians” he said in an exclusive interview on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem Thursday.
General Mosquito as he is popularly called said the Defense Minister’s claim that the presidential jet is not large enough to accommodate the people accompanying President Akufo-Addo on his foreign travels is a lie.
“The President does not travel on the jet with the many people. Most of them go a day before so what is Nitiwul telling us” he quizzed.
Aseidu Nketia is convinced the decision to buy a new presidential jet is to satisfy “Akufo-Addo’s insatiable taste for luxury at the expense of the tax payer”.
“Is he saying that this luxurious plane is safer than any other Jet in the world? His justification is a cock and bull story I hope that we will deal with it,” he added.