Private Jet Saga: Presidency Slams “Untruthful” Ablakwa. . . .Claims MP Engaged In Propaganda | Politics

The Presidency has rubbished claims by Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa that President Akufo-Addo chartered another private jet operator – K5-Aviation on his recent trips to Belgium and Rwanda.

The North Tongu Member of Parliament (MP) in a post on Facebook alleged that “President Akufo-Addo’s current trip to Belgium and Rwanda beginning Sunday the 19th of June, 2022 to attend the 15th Edition of the European Development Days Forum in Brussels, Belgium, and the 26th Meeting of the Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Nations in Kigali, Rwanda; we can confirm a conservative bill of €480,000.00. The 480,000 Euros which is derived from 21 hours of total flight time plus other industry charges works out to some 4.1million Ghana Cedis at current exchange rate“.

According to him, President Akufo-Addo “has returned to his grossly insensitive and reckless ways of profligate traveling in ultra-luxurious charters” after taking two commercial flights on previous trips.

However, the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin in a statement described Ablakwa’s claims as “inaccurate“.

“These claims by the North Tongu MP are not accurate, and as a Member of Parliament, I was hoping he would have been factual and truthful in his claims, and resisted the urge to engage in propaganda,” Mr Arhin stated adding the President travelled to Belgium onboard an Air France Commercial Flight (AF0584).

Chartered Flight

Explaining further on the reason for the chartered flight, Mr Arhin said prior to President Akufo-Addo’s departure from Accra on Sunday, June 19, Ghana’s Mission in Brussels had sent a notice about an impending strike in the aviation sector in Belgium.

“This was going to result in the cancellation of over three hundred (300) flights, those from Brussels to Kigali.

“In furtherance of this, Belgium’s largest airport, Brussels Airport, was compelled to cancel all outgoing flights on Monday, 20th June, the day President Akufo-Addo arrived in Brussels, because employees at the airport had joined in an aviation strike.

“With the Presidency having been given prior information regarding the strike action before the President’s trip to Brussels, the option to travel using direct commercial flight from Brussels to Kigali was not available” he added.

Read full statement below