Gov’t to acquire bigger presidential jet – Eugene Arhin

The government has announced that it has started the process of procuring a new bigger presidential jet.

Communications Director at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin speaking to Journalists on Monday revealed that the Interior Minister has already commenced the process to acquire the new jet to save the country from costs.

“You would recollect that when the government of President Kufuor left office in 2008, it had procured two jets – the current Falcon and a bigger one, but for one reason or the other, the bigger jet was cancelled, and we were left with just one. That has happened, but you will recall that the Defence Minister stated clearly that the government has decided to buy a bigger jet to save us from all these troubles.”

“I don’t want to go into the details, but I am sure that when the Minister gets the opportunity, he will give further information on what the government is doing in that respect, but I am sure of the fact that government is already in the process of getting a bigger jet for use”, he disclosed.

President Akufo-Addo has come under intense criticisms from a section of the public after he abandoned the country’s presidential jet and decided to charter a luxurious jet for his recent trips to Germany, South Africa and the United States of America.

MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa recently alleged that the President’s recent trips have cost the taxpayer over GH¢10 million.

Even though the government has failed to justify the hired jet, Defence minister Dominic Ntiwul once disclosed that the president needed to take a bath while in the air, a feature Ghana’s jet does not provide.

Speaking to Francis Abban on the latest development, Mr Ablakwa said “if it’s about size, it’s the same thing, if it’s about capacity, what’s the difference between a 17-seater and a 19-seater? What the president has gone to hire is a 19-seater. Then if it is about refuelling, remember some of the NPP propaganda said ‘we don’t want the president to be stopping and refuelling like a trotro passenger.

“Again, what the president has chartered now could not take him to the United States, he had to do a one-hour stop for refuelling at the Luxiere international airport. If he had used our presidential jet, he needed one stopover to refuel, it’s the same thing. It’s clear to me, as the defense minister said in parliament the last time, it’s all because of luxury.”

Since Ghana received President Kufuor’s ordered Falcon in 2010, both President Mills and President Mahama have used the long-range aircraft for all presidential travels.

Source:Starrfm.com.gh