The current presidential jet is fit for purpose- Aviation analyst 

Aviation analyst, Captain Micheal Yao Foli says the current presidential jet of Ghana is fit for purpose hence no need to acquire a new jet.

Taking on reasons provided for acquiring a new jet he said the current jet is serviceable because it is being used to transport other heads of states in the sub-region.

Captain Micheal Yao Foli also said on TV3 that the jet currently can fly directly to all Europen Countries and on capacity, he said this is not turnable to say we want to acquire a new jet.

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Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa also said government will not get the support of the Minority in Parliament to purchase a bigger presidential jet for Ghana.

Okudzeto said they are not convinced that there is anything wrong with the current presidential jet.

“The Akufo-Addo administration will not get the support of the NDC in purchasing a new aircraft. We are not convinced that there is anything wrong with the current jet,” he said this in reaction to the statement by the Director of Communications at the Presidency Eugene Arhin that there are plans to acquire a new presidential jet.

“The President and his ministers have not been transparent and accountable enough. This whole business of leading aircraft is borne out of an insatiable appetite for luxury. We are not going to endorse, collaborate and support anything that only seeks to advance the president’s insatiable appetite.”

Mr. Ablakwa also indicated that he is seeking to file another urgent question on the cost of President Akufo-Addo’s recent trip to the US, and he hopes to get answers when Parliament reconvenes next month from recess.

“The challenge now is that the house is on recess. The house will have to resume before the Speaker can admit the questions.”

“There are a number of questions I am pursuing. There are new questions for the National Security Minister on the President’s recent trip to the US.”

The government has announced plans to purchase a new presidential jet to cater for the President’s travels abroad.

Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin says the Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul has already begun the processes for Ghana to procure the new jet.

Speaking to journalists at the Jubilee House on Monday, September 27, 2021, Eugene Arhin said:

“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 disclosed.