The spokesperson for former President John Agyekum Kufuor says the commissioning of the new presidential jet bought by Mr Kufuor while in government should inform Ghanaians that continuity is important in a nation’s development.

“The commissioning of the plane is symbolic. It is in the sense that at least the government has seen it fit to continue a project that was started by a previous government”, Frank Agyekum tells Emefa Apawu, host of the Big Bite on Xfm 95.1, an Accra based private radio station.

Frank Agyekum’s comments follow the commissioning of the Presidential Jet by the Vice President John Dramani Mahama yesterday in Accra at the Airforce Base at Burma Camp.

The 16-seater Falcon 900 EX EASY Presidential jet will be used by the presidency and senior government officials on national and international assignments.

Vice President John Mahama noted that the newly commissioned Presidential jet will enhance the capacity of the Ghana Armed Forces to protect the presidency. The Falcon-900 will replace the Fokker 27 which has become known as the flying coffin.

The debate over the acquisition of a presidential jet began as far back as 2001 when the NPP assumed power.

President Kufuor refused to use a Gulf Stream Presidential jet acquired by the Rawlings administration after he (Kufuor) while in opposition questioned the circumstances under which that jet was acquired.

Having disposed off the Gulfstream, Mr Kufuor’s government in 2007 began the process of acquiring the 37 million dollar Falcon 900 presidential jet and an Airbus for the Ghana Air Force.

When the purchase agreement for the jet came before Parliament in 2008, it became a subject of intense debate and the then Minority NDC argued that the $37 million to be spent on the jet could have been used to save the dire water crisis facing the country.

But the Kufuor government maintained the jet was absolutely necessary and proceeded with the process of acquiring it.

The opposition New Patriotic Party feels justified and vindicated following the commissioning of the jet.

Mr Frank Agyekum says this should inform Ghanaians that “from now on when we see good projects, no matter who started them, we should continue with them”. He intimates that “there seems to be a divide in Ghana where some people say that ‘unless it’s us, it’s not good enough’”, adding that “I think we should rise above these standards as they have the tendency of making us backwards”. Asked how the former President, John Kufuor feels about the commissioning of the jet, Mr Agyekum exclaimed “he feels happy for Ghana.”

Story by Abena Asiedua Tenkorang/ Robert Israel Xfm 95.1 Accra, Ghana