Barely three months after he received intense public backlash for blowing almost GHC 3 million on an expensive gold-plated private jet with an onboard Jacuzzi, President Akufo Addo has again blown another GHC 4 million on his weeklong trip to Germany and the UK.
On his trip to the United Kingdom on July 27, 2021, and his recent trip to Germany to go beg for COVID-19 vaccines, President Akufo Addo and his handlers again rubbished the official presidential jet and opted for one of the most expensive private jets in the world-the Boeing 737-900ER BBJ3 which reportedly cost Ghana some GHC 3 million for both the trip that lasted barely two weeks.
The Luxembourg-based aircraft with Manufacturer Serial Number (MSN) of 62515 and Line Number 5659 is registered LX-DIO and operated by Global Jet Luxembourg.
The President’s latest profligate spending on the luxury jet has been confirmed by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the North Tongu MP and a Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament.
“Very few luxury jets boast of its features. Its manufacturers say the cabin is divided into multiple sections to guarantee exceptional comfort. It provides a VIP lounge for relaxation, Five-Star dining facilities, Royal Master bedroom, Cinema Room specially delineated for watching movies which is a separate accessory from other in-flight entertainment systems, and of course just as you predicted correctly, complete with a luxury shower,” Okudzeto revealed on his official Facebook page.
From conservative estimates, the new luxury liner of President Akufo Addo reportedly cost Ghanaian taxpayers some least US$22,000 per hour on the flight to both Germany and the UK.
“Using the conservative rate of US$14,000 per hour, the two trips to the UK and Germany which require some 28 hours of travel distance in and out plus an additional 13 hours of pick up and drop off time, the taxpayer has been burdened again to the colossal tune of US$574,000.00. At the current exchange rate, that is a staggering 3.46million Ghana Cedis,” Okudzeto calculated.
“This unconscionable rape of the public purse just to satisfy the creature comforts of a President who elects to live in vulgar ostentation in a manner that will make even Arabian kings envious cannot be allowed to continue. It is the reason I take the view that the time has come for this country to urgently formulate a policy on presidential travels.”
According to Okudzeto, it is inexplicable that Ghana has a functional presidential jet, yet the President has consistently refused to use it.
“We either have a presidential jet or we don’t. More so, the President’s reckless decision not to use the presidential jet which cost the Ghanaian taxpayer some US$37million in purchase price under President Kufuor and which we continue to maintain at great cost to the Ghanaian taxpayer while His Excellency “Nana Showboy” globe-trots in ultra-luxury VIP charter aircraft at sky-high rates can no longer be left to the discretion of an immoderate President and the few politicians around him,” a peeved Okudzeto slammed the President.
“It is really shocking, I must say that the Ghanaian people can be treated with such presidential contempt when the dust is yet to settle on the Airbus ACJ320neo-sky-bath-scandal now infamous for the Ministerial acrobatics in Parliament just to cover up for the President and yet a leader who styles himself as the foremost protector of the public purse affronts Ghanaians with such shameless intransigence.”
Meanwhile, Whatsup News gathered that the original Presidential Jet is shuttling countries in the Sub-region with secret passengers and cargo.
Information picked up by Whatsup News from confidential sources indicates that these aircraft trips are linked to a notorious billionaire friend of President Akufo Addo, who has been named in fraudulent deals in a country in West Africa.
The goods aboard the original presidential jet on these clandestine trips that have neither President Akufo Addo nor Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has been used to cart suspicious goods and the private interests using it have free range at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
This “unholy alliance” between President Akufo Addo and this said billionaire friend is set for an explosive exposé soon.