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The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) have referred the Executive Director of the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), Mr Mensah Thompson, to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for further investigations over an allegation that the presidential aircraft was used by relatives of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for a shopping trip to the United Kingdom between December 20 and 30, 2021.<\/p>\n
Although the GAF, which operate the Falcon Ex presidential jet, denied the allegation in a statement issued on Sunday, January 9, they added: \u201cIn view of the seriousness we attach to such malicious publications, the issue has been referred to the Inspector General of Police for further investigations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Mensah Thompson \u2014 Executive Director of the Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability<\/p>\n
The allegation<\/p>\n
The GAF statement was in reaction to a Facebook post by Mr Thompson on January 7, this year, on an alleged illegal use of the presidential jet.<\/p>\n
Mr Thompson stated: \u201cSo between the 20th and 30th of December, 2021 during the Christmas, the children of a close relative of the President took Ghana\u2019s Presidential Jet, the Falcon EX jet on a trip to the UK just for Christmas shopping.They didn\u2019t go alone, they went with their friends and partied in the sky all through the trip, taking snap videos and flaunting their lucky adventure.<\/p>\n
\u201cGhana has spent close to half a billion dollars in the last two years renting private jets for our President, while his family members continue to lavish in our rejected aircraft at the expense of the poor taxpayer.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Ministry of National Security, the Ghana Airforce and the Civil Aviation Authority would have to provide answers to the good people of Ghana why a national security asset like the Presidential jet was left at the mercy of spoilt youngsters who went partying around the world playing in Ghana\u2019s Presidential jet, creating an international diplomatic spectacle, embarrassing the country Ghana.\u201d<\/p>\n
False publication<\/p>\n
But the GAF, in a statement signed by their acting Director Public Relations, Commander Andy La-Anyane, said: \u201cWe wish to state without any equivocation that the said publication is untrue, frivolous and without any basis. We additionally wish to state that the said aircraft has not been to Europe for a very long time and this publication is, therefore, a figment of the author\u2019s imagination. These allegations can easily be verified, since there is always a task order for the movement of all Ghana Air Force platforms.\u201d<\/p>\n
The statement said the publication was a calculated effort to undermine the image of the GAF in the eyes of the general public.<\/p>\n
\u201cMore disturbing is the fact that whilst the GAF are focused on their mandate of protecting the territorial integrity of the country against serious external and internal threats, others are working very hard to distract us from our core mandate,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n
No politics<\/p>\n
Furthermore, the statement called on all Ghanaians, especially politicians, not to drag the GAF into partisan politics.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Ghana Air Force platforms will continue to be used for the interest of all Ghanaians, including its traditional role of maintaining fighter ground attack capabilities and providing close air support during operations, as well as providing transport support to the Ghana Armed Forces.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will continue to provide surveillance over the air space of Ghana and over the Exclusive Economic Zone of the country,\u201d the statement added.
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Withdrawal and apology<\/p>\n
Mr Thompson has, meanwhile, withdrawn his allegation and apologised to the GAF.<\/p>\n
Taking to Facebook, he stated: \u201cI have had an extensive conversation this morning with the PRO of the Ghana Armed Forces pursuant to the usage of the Presidential jet by the children of the relatives of the President.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the same medium I made the earlier publication, I withdraw the publication pending an official response from the GCAA. I unreservedly apologise to the Ghana Armed Forces if their image was in anyway affected by my publication. We shall put out for your consumption the response to our request from the GCAA records of the Falcon 900-EX.\u201d<\/p>\n
No police invitation<\/p>\n
Reached by the Daily Graphic yesterday, Mr Thompson said he had not received any invitation from the police.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, he said once he was invited, he would have no choice but respond accordingly.<\/p>\n
Mr Thompson explained that he withdrew the publication and apologised to the GAF in the interest of respect.<\/p>\n
According to him, he received a call from the PRO of the GAF on the matter and out of respect, he withdrew the publication.<\/p>\n
Asked why he did not render an apology to the President, who was at the centre of the publication, he answered: \u201c But the President has not said it is not true.It is the Ghana Armed Forces who have come out to complain.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Source: graphiconline.com<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Featured Video\n<\/p>\n\n
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