Akufo-Addo’s GHC 62m expenditure on foreign trips a 'world record' – Minority

“No President has spent up to 13 million dollars in nine months on travels in the history of this country,” that is the contention of Ranking Member on Parliament’s Finance Committee, Cassiel Ato Forson.

The Presidency spent 62,578,224 Ghana Cedis on foreign travels and related expenses in the first nine months of 2019.

This is according to documents presented to Parliament as part of budget estimates for the office of government machinery.

The breakdown of the expenditure indicates that the 62 million Ghana cedis was spent on foreign trips, 5.8 million Ghana cedis on hotel accommodation and 1.9 million Ghana cedis on refreshments, among other line items.

The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Finance Committee, Cassiel Ato Forson in an interview with host Kweku Owusu Adjei on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 FM said the “World record” expenditure cannot be justified.

“The President should not spend more than USD2m or equivalent on foreign travels. If you set a record like this its a bad record and we need details as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, he’s asked Ghanaians to treat with a pinch of salt claims that the ‘extravagant expenditure’ by the President on foreign trips was a result of the “Year of Return”.