Opposition National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has stated that he will quit as a member of the legislature if a president from his party resorts to flying in private jets, as is being witnessed under President Akufo-Addo.
Mr Ablakwa has been accusing President Akufo-Addo of engaging in profligacy by globetrotting in chartered luxurious private jets at the expense of Ghanaian taxpayers.
In one of his recent rants about the president’s foreign travels, Mr Ablakwa, in an interview on Adom FM, said he cannot fathom why the president opts for expensive private jets when there is a functioning presidential jet at his disposal.
“At the time this Presidential Jet was ordered, the honourable Kan Dapaah who was the Defense Minister said the lifespan of the jet is a minimum of 20 years but this jet is just 12 years old.
“I don’t have anything against the president, but it’s about protecting the public purse and I don’t expect a future NDC president to hire jets at such a high cost, some of us would resign; I wouldn’t want to be part of such a government,” he said.
According to Mr Ablakwa, his concerns about the president’s use of private jets at taxpayers’ expense have caused him to draft a ‘Presidential Travel Bill’.
The bill, which is currently before the parliament’s legal department for review, according to the MP, will help regulate the foreign travels of presidents.
“That is why I have drafted a ‘Presidential Travel Bill’, a private member’s bill, that will help to regulate presidential trips, which has already been submitted to the legal department of parliament for review,” he revealed.
ghanaweb.com
