North Tongu Member of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has dismissed claims that he chartered private jets for international trips in his capacity as a Deputy Minister.
According to him, whiles the allegations can best be described as hallucinations and fabrications, he was ready to share his passport and travel records for verification with the press.
About the said chartered jet travel allegations, Ablakwa posted on social media: “I am more than willing and happy to share my passports and travel records with the press for independent verification.”
He continued: “It is so absurd how I can be widely considered for many years as one of the most visible MPs always physically working in my beloved constituency, literally every week, and at the same time be described as the most travelled NDC politician who is hardly present in Ghana — some people really need our prayers.”
Agyapong’s recent allegations
Ablakwa was responding to recent claims by the Assin Central Member of Parliament, Kennedy Agyapong who had accused Ablakwa of ‘fighting’ Akufo-Addo’s luxury jet travels but that he was doing same as far back as 2010 when he was a Deputy Minister.
Speaking on Oman FM’s ‘Boiling Point’ lat week, Agyapong alleged: “On February 15, 2010, he departed and came back on February 17, 2010 with a special flight. Okudzeto, what is a special or chartered flight?
“March 7, Okudzeto Ablakwa left the country again with EK-782 which is Emirates, and came back on March, 11; with another jet called EK-781,” he added, quoting from some documents.
Below his full post below:
No amount of demented rants will change the incontrovertible fact that I have never chartered a private jet in my life, neither have I ever flown in one.
So are the hallucinations about an obviously fabricated high frequency of travels when I served as Deputy Minister — an even more puerile and inane effusion.
I am more than willing and happy to share my passports and travel records with the press for independent verification.
It is so absurd how I can be widely considered for many years as one of the most visible MPs always physically working in my beloved constituency, literally every week, and at the same time be described as the most travelled NDC politician who is hardly present in Ghana — some people really need our prayers.
The politics of lies, illogic and concoctions will always leave you embarrassed. What happened to the blatantly vicious fabrications that I owned filling stations? These days the schizophrenic liars have quickly abandoned that and are now cooking fresh fabrications for their gullible audience.
It’s a pity how the dotards don’t even seem to realize that they aren’t helping the case of the President — they are clearly telling Ghanaians that we know what our President is doing is terribly wrong but he should be spared and allowed to continue to wickedly dissipate our taxes on lavish sky baths because the messenger is equally guilty.
In any case, what does this say about the uselessness of your government if as you say you have evidence that a “poor Deputy Minister” could afford US$10,000 to US$18,000 in hiring luxury executive jets and yet you aren’t investigating him, you haven’t charged him and you certainly aren’t prosecuting him?
What a joke from pathetic poltroons!
I shall remain focused in the service of God and Ghana; without fear or intimidation, and above all in pure truth and good conscience.
The support and encouragement of many well-meaning and patriotic Ghanaians across the political divide is deeply appreciated—that, keeps me going.
Ablakwa’s ‘fight’ against Akufo-Addo’s luxury jet travels
Ablakwa has been championing a dogged reportage on the purported costs of presidential travels via private jet since last year.
According to the Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament, Akufo-Addo opts for ultra-luxury charters despite the fact that there is a presidential jet that remains in pristine condition.
In his most recent post on the travels, Ablakwa disclosed thus: “President Akufo-Addo has for the umpteenth time ignored the precarious state of the Ghanaian economy and abandoned Ghana’s US$36million Presidential Jet in favour of his most cherished ultra-luxury toy — the LX-DIO which now rents for US$18,000 an hour.
“It is clearly a helpless costly addiction which sadly, the Ghanaian taxpayer must pay for. The President’s latest misconduct appears to be the most deceptive thus far.”
On the issue of the costs of the 10-day overseas trip, he said: “It is imperative to note that so far, the Ghanaian taxpayer must cough up an astronomical US$465,000 in luxury rental charges. At current exchange, that is a scary GHS3,505,515.49.
“This will mean that since May last year, the Ghanaian taxpayer has spent at least GHS28.5million on President Akufo-Addo’s ostentatious travels.”
Government has defended the private jet travels stating that the presidential jet was not suited for long-haul flights. Plans are also afoot to purchase a new presidential jet, the Presidency announced last year.
ghanaweb.com