Aviation analyst, Captain Yao Foli, has mentioned that the explanation which were given by the federal government to buy a brand new presidential jet are usually not legitimate.
He mentioned the present presidential jet, the Falcon, is match for objective therefore, the native financial shouldn’t be overburdened right now with the transfer to purchase new one.
The authorities has introduced plans to buy a brand new presidential jet for the president’s overseas travels.
This was disclosed by the Director of Communications on the Presidency, Eugene Arhin on the Jubilee House Monday, September 27 in the course of the Presidency’s weekly press briefing.
According to Mr Arhin, the federal government of Ghana by the Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul has already began the processes for the procurement of the brand new jet.
“You would recollect that when the government of President Kufuor left office in 2008, it had procured two jets – the current Falcon and a bigger one but for one reason or the other, the bigger jet was cancelled, and we were left with just one. That has happened, but you will recall that the Defence Minister stated clearly that the government has decided to buy a bigger jet to save us from all these troubles.”
“I don’t want to go into the details, but I am sure that when the Minister gets the opportunity, he will give further information on what the government is doing in that respect, but I am sure of the fact that government is already in the process of getting a bigger jet for use”, he instructed pressmen Monday.
This revelation comes at a time when the Presidency has dismissed claims made by Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, that Akufo-Addo makes use of luxurious chartered jets whereas on overseas travels which in accordance with him has value Ghana GH¢10 million to date.
The presidency has nevertheless didn’t disclose the price of the president’s journey.
When the North Tongu MP filed an pressing query on the ground of Parliament to have the Minister of Finance reply to the price of the President’s overseas travels the primary time, the Minister requested for extra time to get the figures however he later appeared earlier than the House and mentioned the problem was a matter of National Security.
The MP says he is not going to relent in his efforts to demand accountability from the federal government on the matter.
The Minister for Defense, Dominic Nitiwul, for his half, instructed Parliament that the Falcon 900 Ex-Easy, shouldn’t be for in good situation for it for use for lengthy haul journeys that takes 9 hours or extra to cowl.
According to him, the Falcon 900 Ex-Easy which is 11 years previous now has developed two engine faults whereas airborne in the course of the interval and although serviceable, it couldn’t be used for lengthy journeys with out refueling stops.
Besides, the Falcon 900 Ex-Easy which is the property of Ghana however held in belief by the Ghana Air Force lacks sufficient workplace area to accommodate about 100 or extra passengers and in addition lacks area for Presidents who use it to refreshing up earlier than attending conferences.
As a results of these, authorities needed to spend US$50million over the past ten years to airlift troopers occurring United Nations Peace Keeping Missions. Apart from that, the nation needed to spend extra on staffers who journey with the President on official duties.
“We must remember that ideally, a President must travel with his Office, thus, the staffers who must be around him to enable him perform his duties effectively even whilst abroad. As well, it is important that he travels with security and also the Presidential Press Corps when necessary. Currently, when the President uses the Falcon 900 Ex-Easy Jet, most of these other necessary staffers travel commercial with increased cost as well as often suffering attendant delays in transit because of the lack of direct flights to the ultimate destinations. Where the President has to travel to two or three destinations on a trip, two or three separate staff units have to be deployed to each of the countries. With the difficulty of air travel, especially with in Africa, staffers sometimes do not arrive at the intended destinations in time to make the programs. Ultimately, the cost is also a huge drawback as well”, he instructed Parliament on Wednesday, June 16, 2021, in response to a query posed by the NDC MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.
But talking on the Key Points on TV3/3FM programme on Saturday October 2, Captain Foli mentioned “If we’re saying that it has technical difficulties that worries me as a result of an eleven yr previous plane, in aviation time period, is simply a young person.
“So if at eleven years it’s having technical issues then we should begin how we preserve our plane. It additionally implies that if we get a brand new one which we’re asking for, ten years down the road we’re going to have technical challenges once more. In the midst of or financial challenges let’s make do with what we now have. None of those three arguments getting used to justify shopping for a brand new presidential jet, for my part is legitimate.
If we’re financially constraint because the arguments factors out, then I feel that the Falcon is match for objective.”
By Laud Nartey|3news.com|Ghana
