The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has sought to know from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, how much money Ghanaian taxpayers lose when the President charters luxurious jets for his foreign trips while the Presidential jet is used by other African Presidents.

According to him, the presidential jet has been left in the hands of other Presidents to embark on their trips more than 10 times while the President charters luxurious jets.

“Why is it that when our president has to travel particularly to Europe and America, he chooses to charter these ultra-luxurious aircraft and then leave our presidential jet in the hands of other African presidents?" he asked.

The North Tongu MP added that the African heads of state who resort to the services of Ghana's presidential jet don't even fuel it and so measures should be put in place so that it does not convert into an Uber.

“We keep giving out this presidential jet for free; they don’t even pay for aviation fuel. So there have to be some parameters, some policy that guides, so it doesn’t become a presidential Uber," he said.

The Minister for foreign affairs did not provide answers on how much it costs the Ghanaian taxpayer but she said the jet is given out due to the friendly relations between Ghana and her neighbors.

However, the National Security Minister, Albert Kan Dapaah, is set to appear before the House of Parliament on Friday, December 10, 2021, to provide answers to Okudzeto's questions.

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Umar Farouk

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