Is Akufo-Addo taller than George Weah? - Sammy Gyamfi on new presidential jet

• Sammy Gyamfi says the reason for procuring a new presidential jet is flawed

• He said Ghana does not need a private jet

• The current presidential jet is said not to have enough legroom

National Communication Officer for the

Read full articleNational Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has questioned Dr. Gideon Boako’s justification for the need to procure a new presidential jet.

The spokesperson for Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia stated on JoyNews’ Newsfile, over the weekend that, the current presidential private jet seats were unadjustable and that there was hardly any legroom for passengers.

But reacting to this on Metro TV’s ‘One on One’, Sammy Gyamfi queried the logic behind Dr Boako’s justification.

He wondered how the presidential jet can be said not to have enough legroom to accommodate president Akufo-Addo when the same jet was recently used by Liberian President George Weah, who is relatively taller than Ghana’s president.

“…I believe that Ghana needs a presidential jet for our president and we have one, and that jet is fit to purpose… the last ridiculous reason I heard as the justification of a new jet was the argument by Gideon Baako who said our president is ‘so tall’ that he is unable to stretch his legs in the Flacon 900 EX. So we are asking whether our president has become so tall that today he is taller than George Weah?”

The debate around presidential travels and the presidential jet has been championed by MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who has alleged that three luxurious charter travels by the president had cost the taxpayer in excess of 10 million cedis.

Eugene Arhin, Director of Communications at the Presidency announced recently that the government had plans of acquiring a new presidential jet because the current one was not fit for purpose.

He said Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul will give further details on the planned acquisition in due course.