Ghana’s presidential jet, an Uber for African Heads of States

Accra, Ghana – The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway has justified the use of Ghana’s presidential jet by other presidents in the West African Sub-region. While the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said the demand by Africa presidents and the way they queue to use Ghana’s presidential jet makes it a presidential Uber.

However, Botchway disagreed. She said Ghana’s foreign policy tenets of good neighbourliness, commitment to regional integration, and the promotion of peace and security underpin the offer of the country’s presidential jet to West African leaders such as the President of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio, and the President of Liberia, George Weah.

She stated, “That decision had to be taken in the supreme interest of the West African Sub-region. It was to do with the coup in Guinea and also issues to do with Mali and, of course, the Sahel as well.

“These decisions are taken because they are necessary. I believe the cost is important, but it should take a backstage when the security of a nation is in jeopardy.”

But Ablakwa said he is not satisfied with the answers given by the Minister and will continue to press for answers adding that he’s worried the presidential jet is being used as a presidential Uber to carry other African heads of states around.

He said, “We keep giving out this presidential jet for free; they don’t even pay for aviation fuel. So there have to be some parameters, some policy that guides, so it doesn’t become a presidential Uber.

“Why is it that when our president has to travel particularly to Europe and America, he chooses to charter these ultra-luxurious aircraft and then leave our presidential jet in the hands of other African presidents?”

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP in the last couple of months has been commended for taking an interest in the international travels of the President that is said to be contesting the taxpayer millions of Ghana cedis.

The President is said to have used the Airbus ACJ320neo G-KELT for this trip on May 18, 2021, when French President, Emmanuel Macron, hosted leaders of African countries and heads of global financial institutions for a summit.

The ACJ320neo G-KELT, which belongs to Acropolis Aviation is one of the most luxurious in the world and has a capacity of just 17 passengers.

From France, President Akufo-Addo moved to Brussels, Belgium, where he held bilateral talks with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel and other officials of the European Council.

He later went to Johannesburg, South Africa, where he addressed the Fourth Ordinary Session of the Fifth Parliament of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) before returning to Ghana.

The Ghanaian public has been criticising the President for going for such a luxurious jet when the country has a presidential plane. Also, others have said that it was not suitable for the President to beg for loan forgiveness when using such a costly plane for the trip.