Dr. Ennin: Parliamentarians must justify money spent on them

Parliament and Parliamentarians need to justify expenditure spend on them because their behavior especially in Parliament yesterday needs a lot to be desired.

According to Dr. Kwesi Ennin who is Head of the Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Training Center (KAIPKTC), the work load of parliamentarians do not tally with the amount of money spent on them. The Security Analyst noted, it saddens his heart that Parliament has failed Ghanaians.

Dr. Ennin who showered praise on Commanders from the Ghana Police Service for doing so much in reducing violence and crime despite the limited resources available at their disposal, was quick to add that, Parliamentarians are failing the nation with an “F”, in not doing much to protect the citizenry, who are also the tax payers.

Dr. Kwesi Ennin made these comments in reaction to the approval of a $250 million loan agreement by Parliament on Wednesday, for the purchase of five aircrafts for the Ghana Armed Forces.

The Security Analyst told Adakabre Frimpong Manso on Dwaso Nsem on Adom FM Thursday that, he wished select committees for both Defense and Finance could have consulted the KAIPKTC and make inquiries into the purchasing of military equipment, but this was not done.

Parliament yesterday approved a loan facility of 60 million Euros from Deutsche Bank and the Sociedad Anonima Espanola of Spain for the acquisition of two c-95 military aircrafts for the Ghana Armed Forces.

An additional $105.3 million Brazilian credit facility is to finance the purchase of one Embraer 190 aircraft, integrated logistics support and the construction of a hangar.

The parliamentary joint committee on Finance and Defense has also considered and approved for the consideration of the plenary, a loan of 11.75 million Euros from Fidelity Bank of Ghana.

There were exchange of words between the majority and the minority over the approval of the purchase of the jets as minority argued that the prices for the five jets are too high and need to be reviewed downwards.

Dr. Kwesi Ennin noted that it saddens his heart that after listening to the debate in relation to the purchase of the jets, security of the military was not considered yet the MPs were agitating about the price of the jets.

‘Do parliamentarians know enough about our domestic security situation and our international obligation and by inference, the demand that makes on us as Ghana to equip our Air force?’ Dr. Ennin asked.

It could be recalled in 2008 during former President the Kufour’s administration faced heavily criticism from the then opposition NDC over the decision to purchase two Falcon 900 EX Easy Aircraft for Ghana Armed Forces.

It was to replace the Fokker 27 aircraft codenamed by the NPP as ‘flying coffin’ that the Ghana Air Force had used for the past 37 years as a Presidential jet.

Then, the NDC argued that the timing for the purchase was wrong because the economy at the time could not afford the $150 million earmarked for the purchase of two jets.

Story: Akuamoah Boateng/Adom News/Ghana