• Felix Kwakye Ofosu believes President Akufo-Addo has shown disrespect to Ghanaians
• He indicated government ignored the public uproar on his expensive travels and has gone ahead to hire an expensive jet with a mid-air shower for his travel
• Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa alleged President Akufo-Addo’s latest travel amounts to £14k per hour
Felix Kwakye Ofosu, a former deputy communication minister, has said, no President of Ghana has shown more obstinacy, disrespect, insensitivity and outright contempt like President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo does to Ghanaians.
He said, despite the public uproar over the president’s expensive travels, he has again greeted Ghanaians with a more opulent plane this time complete with a mid-air shower for yet another travel.
“No President has shown more obstinacy, disrespect, insensitivity and outright contempt like President Akufo-Addo shows to the people of Ghana. Despite the outrage that greeted his ultra-lavish rental of the Airbus jet for trips to Belgium and elsewhere, he has gone a step further this time to ensure that despite the availability of a Presidential aircraft, he opts for an even more opulent plane this time complete with a mid-air shower,” Felix Kwakye Ofosu wrote on his social media timeline.
Kwakye Ofosu’s comment follows the latest allegations by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa that President Akufo-Addo has again hired another luxurious aircraft on his recent foreign trips to the UK and Germany.
According to the North Tongu MP, the trips on the hired jet cost the state £14,000 per hour and a cumulative ¢3.46 million.
In a post on his social media pages, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa called for a national policy on presidential travels akin to what pertains in other jurisdictions.
“For his recent travels to the UK on the 27th of July, 2021, to attend the Global Education Summit and last week’s state visit to Germany, he blatantly refused to travel on the presidential jet.
“Instead, he opted for another top of the range VIP luxury charter jet specifically known to industry players as the Boeing 737-900ER BBJ3,” he alleged.
He said, the Luxembourg-based aircraft is registered LX-DIO and operated by Global Jet Luxembourg. Its Manufacturer Serial Number (MSN) is 62515 with Line Number 5659.
“The 19-seater luxury jet, which has a HEX code 4D0213 is configured VIP, has 2x CFMI engines and was delivered to the current operators in November, 2015.
“Very few luxury jets boast of its features. Its manufacturers say the cabin is divided into multiple sections to guarantee exceptional comfort. It provides a VIP lounge for relaxation, Five-Star dining facilities, Royal Master bedroom, Cinema Room, specially delineated for watching movies, which is a separate accessory from other in-flight entertainment systems, and of course, just as you predicted correctly, complete with a luxury shower (apparently, the sky bath continues unabated – all royalties paid to Defence Minister, Nitiwul).
“If our government is dealing directly with the operators of the LX-DIO, then it is costing the Ghanaian taxpayer at least, $14,000 per hour. However, if our government is leasing the aircraft via brokers or middlemen, as it has gained notoriety in many sectors, you shouldn’t be surprised the Ghanaian taxpayer is being billed between $18,000 and $22,000 per hour.
“Using the conservative rate of $14,000 per hour, the two trips to the UK and Germany which require some 28 hours of travel distance in and out plus an additional 13 hours of pick up and drop off time, the taxpayer has been burdened again to the colossal tune of $574,000. At the current exchange rate, that is a staggering GH¢3.46 million,” the Facebook post read.