President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
Felix Kwakye Ofosu reveals over GH¢148m spent on Akufo-Addo’s trips
Government in consultation with stakeholders to purchase new presidential jet
Kan Dapaah tight lipped on cost of Akufo-Addo’s recent foreign travels
The Minority caucus in parliament has tabled a private members motion before the Speaker of the House demanding a bipartisan probe into the President Akufo-Addo’s luxurious foreign trips.
National Security Minister, Albert Kan Dapaah, responding to a question filed by North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, refused to disclose the cost of the president’s recent travels to France, Belgium and South Africa on premises of confidentiality and state secrecy.
“Mr. Speaker, recent official travels to France, Belgium, and South Africa by President Akufo-Addo are paid for out of the operational funds from the Ministry of National Security. Mr. Speaker payments out of the ministry’s operational funds are glued with rules of confidentiality and state secrecy and it is not the normal practice…to make the suggested disclosure,” he said on the floor of parliament on Friday December 17, 2021.
Reacting to the minister’s defence on his social media timeline, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa vowed to continue in his pursuit in demanding accountability on the president’s travels outside the shores of the country.
To this effect, he mentioned in an interview on Accra-based Joy FM’s ‘Top Story’ that he, together with other colleagues, have filed a motion asking for a bipartisan probe into the matter even as the National Security minister has refused to give details on the presidential travel cost.
“We are not leaving this matter here. Fortunately, a number of my colleagues and I have filed a private members motion praying Mr. Speaker to initiate processes for a full scale bipartisan probe into this business of chartered luxury aircraft and my Honourable colleagues and I…the Hon James Agalga, the Hon Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, the Hon Ato Forson…we are all determined to pursue this matter and so that appears to be the next available vehicle to us and we intend to utilize it to the fullest particularly as the president continues to charter these aircrafts,” he told host, Evans Mensah on Friday December 17, 2021.
Meanwhile, former deputy minister of Communications under the erstwhile John Dramani Mahama administration, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has alleged that the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has spent over GH¢148million on his luxurious foreign travels.
“Expenditure returns of the Office of the President for January to September, 2021. GH¢148.216 million spent on nebulous line item described as “Operational Enhancement Expenses”, which no doubt is where Presidential Travel expenses are being hidden,” he tweeted.