)
He said the effusions by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) lawmaker on the cost of the private jets hired by the presidency on foreign travels is not that important.
In a post on social media, Mr. Otchere-Darko said the value of what President Akufo-Addo gains from his foreign travels is what matters and not the cost of his hired jet.
“Ghana’s president travelled to Germany for a week and returned with 1.5 million vaccines, among other investor-related items. But, of course, the focus of those who seasonally choose to know the cost of everything but the value of little, is on the cost of the flight chartered!” Mr Otchere-Darko tweeted.
According to Mr Ablakwa, despite the public outrage that greeted President Akufo-Addo’s previous travel on the world's most expensive and most extravagant private charter aircraft – the Airbus ACJ320neo, which does not cost its clientele below £15,000 per hour to lease, his recent travels to the UK on 27 July 2021 to attend the Global Education Summit and last week's state visit to Germany, saw him opt for another top-of-the-range VIP luxury charter jet called the Boeing 737-900ER BBJ3.
)
)
)
)
Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko
The lawmaker, in a statement, said the Boeing 737-900ER BBJ3, provides a VIP lounge for relaxation, five-star dining facilities, a royal master bedroom, cinema room specially delineated for watching movies, which is a separate accessory from other in-flight entertainment systems, and is complete with a luxury shower.
He said: “If our government is dealing directly with the operators of the LX-DIO then it is costing the Ghanaian taxpayer, at least, US$14,000 per hour. However, if our government is leasing the aircraft via brokers or middlemen, as it has gained notoriety for in many sectors, you shouldn't be surprised the Ghanaian taxpayer is being billed between US$18,000 and US$22,000 per hour.”
“Using the conservative rate of US$14,000 per hour, the two trips to the UK and Germany which requires 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,” he added.