General News of Monday, 31 May 2021

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Ghanaians can no longer finance your opulent lifestyle – Sammy Gyamfi slams Akufo-Addo

National Communication Officer of NDC, Sammy Gyamfi National Communication Officer of NDC, Sammy Gyamfi

Sammy Gyamfi has accused Akufo-Addo of engaging in a life of opulence

• It comes on the back of a revelation that President Akufo-Addo travelled in a $15,000 per hour aircraft to France and South Africa recently

• The Defence Minister will in the coming days address Parliament on the issue

Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communication Officer of the National Democratic Congress has cautioned President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo against what he describes ‘opulent lifestyle’.

Sammy Gyamfi in a Facebook post alleged that a staggering GHC2.8million has been spent on presidential travels since Akufo-Addo assumed the role of President.

Gyamfi lamented that at a time when economic situations in the country are not in the best of conditions, President Akufo-Addo is leading a luxurious lifestyle.

“Ghanaians can no longer finance the opulent lifestyle of President Akufo-Addo who has chosen to live like a Russian oligarch in this difficult time of economic hardships, joblessness and hopelessness. Enough of the rape of the Public Purse”.

Sammy Gyamfi was commenting on the recent revelation of President Akufo-Addo flying an aircraft that charges $15,000 per hour in his visit to France and South Africa.

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a member of parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee who made the revelation accused President Akufo-Addo of leading a life of affluence at the expense of the Ghanaian.

“If Ghana was your private company and you’ve bought a private jet, would you do that. Would you abandon the jet and use a private jet? Is it really necessary for you to do that? You’ve chartered the most expansive jet. He could have flown commercial. The company had a fleet of jets that we could have spent less than what we spent but we decided to go for top of the range. This is to make money and show that they are in a league of their own that’s why they created this plane.

“Even the company itself says. Why go for the highest at the expense of the tax payer when going for a debt forgiveness? All the country we are approaching don’t do this. You dare not leave the presidential jet and go for a luxury aircraft to be chilling in the airspace. This is wrong and unconscionable. Someone who promised to protect the public purse, is that you protect the public purse”.

Meanwhile the Minister of Defense, Dominic Nitiwul is set to appear before Parliament this week to answer questions on the use of the expensive jet by President Akufo-Addo.

This is after Ablakwa filed a motion to have summon him to provide clarity on why the President did not use the presidential aircraft.