MP sought to shift the goal post from the statement he boldly made, Presidency
Ablakwa goes hard on Akufo-Addo for flying private jet
The presidency has said claims made by the Member of Parliament for North Tongu with regards to the president’s current trip to Belgium and Rwanda were not well-intentioned.
According to the Director of Communications, Eugene Arhin, the MP failed to acknowledge the president left the country with a chartered flight for a good reason.
He explained that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo had arrived on time to deliver his remarks at the start of the Pan-Africa project.
The statement shared by Eugen Arhin was in response to Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa's Facebook post which demanded that government owed it to Ghanaians to "disclose to Ghanaians the cost of the President’s latest sybaritic adventure."
He alleged that President Akufo-Addo's current trip to Belgium and Rwanda "is costing the taxpayer a whopping GHS4 million".
According to Mr. Ablakwa, "avid followers of my exposés know that I have in the recent past called out and condemned the President’s profligacy when he has engaged in a similar 'meet-me-there'.
To reasonable patriotic Ghanaians, it is certainly immaterial at what point the President who promised to protect the public purse decides to unconscionably and cruelly raid the purse — be it from Accra, Brussels, Kigali, London, Kabul, Nur-Sultan or Tbilisi — the value is the same."
The Presidency, however, justified through the communique that since Akufo-Addo assumed office, his trips have always been beneficial to the country with the latest being his trip to Belgium.
It added that the MP has sought to shift the goal post from the statement he boldly made on his Facebook post which has necessitated this response.
“In his statement, the MP conveniently avoids the issue of President Akufo-Addo having to arrive from Brussels to Kigali on time to participate in the commencement of the Pan-African Vaccine Manufacturing Project, a project which is a collaboration between Ghana, Rwanda, and Senegal."
“This event and the President's participation was one of the reasons for which the decision was taken to charter a flight for the President, so he could arrive on time, demonstrate Ghana's solidarity, and deliver his far-reaching remarks at the start of this strategic Pan-African project.
"I am sure that the people of Ghana will recognize this as a good reason for the President to travel. Undoubtedly, the Hon. MP's motives are not well-intentioned, as he is merely seeking to score cheap political points to incite public disaffection against the President," part of the statement read.
Read the full staetement below:
NYA/FNOQ
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo