Minister of Communications, Ursula, Gifty Owusu-Ekuful was last week flown in a private jet to campaign in the northern part of the country, specifically the Upper East and Upper West Regions.
Our investigations reveal that the mid-sized jet flew just three people and two crew members to the north Mr. Mrs Owusu-Ekuful’s political campaign. Aboard the extravagant trip were two other people: One Nana Boatema Asare and Olawole Olaiya Philips.
The private jet is a Challenger CL 604 with registration number T7-MJJ.
Whatsup News is in possession of photos and videos of the aircraft. Tracking of the flight also shows that it set off from the Kotoka International Airport on October 3, 2020, around 6 am and landed in Tamale around 7 am the same day, in what smacks of wilful wastage of public funds by a political appointee.
Investigations are still ongoing to unravel how much the private jet campaign of Ursula Owusu cost Ghanaian taxpayers.
Further tracking of the aircraft revealed that as soon as it dropped the minster and her mini entourage, the private Jet flew back empty to the Kotoka International airport around 7.40 am. Afterwards, it jetted off to Haiti.
Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful will later take to Facebook to tout her trip to the north, saying: “My 4 days working tour in the Upper East region saw me visiting the tomb of late Madam Hawa Yakubu in Pusiga to pay my respect to the woman who many referred to as ‘Iron Lady’.”
Insiders tell Whatsup News that beyond the solemn tribute to the Late Hawa Yakubu, Owusu-Ekuful’s trip was more of a reconnaissance to break the front of the opposition National Democratic Congress in the Garu, Pusiga and Tempane constituencies, as she and the governing party are allegedly sponsoring some NDC candidates in those constituencies to contest as Independent Parliamentary Candidates, to dilute the votes of the NDC.
Apparently, the governing NPP has concluded that they stand no chance in those constituencies and had adopted the ingenious scheme.
Mr. Owusu-Ekuful is not alien to controversies, her fiery outbursts have often brought mixed results to her party and the Akufo Addo administration.
She is also not alien to scandals, as she is in the thick of the infamous US$180 KelniGvG contract to monitor revenues of telecom operators in Ghana. The contract was reportedly awarded without recourse to the Public Procurement process.
Meanwhile, Whatsup News has been unable to get through to the Communications Minister on the rationale behind flying a private jet to campaign in the two poorest regions in the country.
The owner of the private aircraft is unknown as investigations are ongoing.