The Minister for National Security, Albert Kan Dapaah, has refused to disclose the cost of recent trips of President Akufo-Addo to France, Belgium and South Africa using a chartered luxurious private jet.
According to the minister, the cost of such trips are borne by the operational funds of the National Security Ministry and thus cannot be disclosed.
Answering questions from North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Kan Dapaah argued such information cannot be disclosed for security reasons.
Not even a challenge from Okudzeto of such as assertion could get the minister to reveal the cost as advised by former minister of State in Charge of National Security Bryan Acheampong.
“Mr Speaker, recent official travels to France, Belgium, and South Africa by President Akufo-Addo are paid for out of the operational funds from the Ministry of National Security. Mr Speaker payments out of the ministry’s operational funds are glued with rules of confidentiality and state secrecy and it is not the normal practice…to make the suggested disclosures.”
President Akufo-Addo has come under intense criticisms from a section of the public after he abandoned the country’s presidential jet and decided to charter a luxurious jet for his recent trips. The government pays $14, 000 an hour for the luxurious jet.
Cumulatively the President’s recent trips have cost the taxpayer over GH¢15 million.
Even though the government has failed to justify the hired jet, Defence minister Dominic Ntiwul once disclosed that the president needed to take a bath while in the air, a feature Ghana’s jet does not provide.
