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Alban Bagbin has not rejected my question on Akufo-Addo’s extravagant trips – Ablakwa

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, MP, North Tongu MP

North Tongu Lawmaker, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has asked the public to ignore claims that the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin has rejected his question on the travel expenses of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Mr Ablakwa described such reports as fake for which must be ignored. He had accused President Akufo-Addo of engaging in extravagant travels.

He said he has filed an urgent question in Parliament over the president’s travels.

There were reports that the Speaker has rejected the questions he filed.

But in a tweet on Monday June 7, he said “Kindly disregard and treat with contempt the fake news in circulation claiming that Rt Honuorable Speaker has rejected my urgent questions to the Minister of Defence and Minister of Finance on the state of the presidential jet and the total cost of President Akyufo-Addo’s recent profligate luxury travels to France, Belgium, and South Africa respectively.”

He alleged that Mr Akufo-Addo spent an amount of GHS 2.8 million on his recent travels to only South Africa and France using the services of a private jet.

“The Airbus ACJ320neo owned by Acropolis Aviation based in Farnborough, UK and registered as G-KELT, is the most luxurious and the most expensive in the Acropolis fleet. The manufacturers describe it as the most outstanding ambassador for Airbus Corporate Jets.” It costs the Ghanaian taxpayer approximately £15,000 an hour when President Akufo-Addo rents it”, he alleged in a post on Facebook.

Let’s further analyze President Akufo-Addo’s latest trip to Europe: per Flightradar24, the G-KELT aircraft left Accra with the President to Paris on the 16th of May — a 6 and half hour duration. Airlifted the President from Paris to Johannesburg for 11 hours on the 23rd of May.”

“Then Johannesburg to Accra on the 25th of May was a five and half hour flight. This gives us accumulated flight travel of 23 hours; so at £15,000 an hour, it thus cost us a colossal £345,000. At the current exchange rate, that is a staggering GHS2,828,432.80”, he posted.