Plans to purchase new presidential jet after ‘regressive’ e-levy bad – Ablakwa

Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has criticized plans by government to purchase a new presidential jet.

This statement by the lawmaker comes after Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul told parliament on Tuesday, December 14, 2021 that consultations were ongoing on the buy a new presidential jet.

Mr Nitiwul told Parliament that he would table the move before the House when the consultations are over.

Defence Minister was responding to a question asked by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on steps by the government to purchase a new presidential jet.

“Executive jet does not mean it is for the sole use of the president. In America, no other person can use the Airforce One apart from the President and the Vice. We have an executive jet and I am saying to you that Executive Jet issued to do government business and that is the classification,” he said.

“The decision to travel particularly to long and multiple destinations such as the president travelling to France, Belgium, South African and back to Ghana especially during this covid time will always require a larger capacity aircraft such as a DBKJ or an aircraft ATJ 319 even when the Falcon is air ready,” Dominic Nitiwul said on the floor of Parliament.

Speaking to host of Atinka FM’s Drive, Kaakyire Ofori Ayim, the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa noted that a government which claims to be facing difficult economic challenges should not be holding consultations for the purchase of a new presidential jet.

According to the lawmaker, Ghana’s falcon 900 presidential jet has not exhausted the 20-year minimum life span.

“A government which claims to be facing one of the most difficult economic challenges of the modern era and for which it seeks to railroad and obnoxious and regressive E-levy should not be holding consultations for the purchase of a new Presidential jet,” Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa host of the show.