General News of Friday, 28 May 2021

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Nitiwul to appear before Parliament over Akufo-Addo’s exorbitant foreign travels

Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul play videoDefence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul

• President Akufo-Addo recently travelled to Europe with Airbus ACJ320neo owned by Acropolis Aviation

• The total cost of his 9-day trip according to Okudzeto Ablakwa was £345,000

• Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul will be in parliament to give further details into the matter

Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul is expected to appear before Parliament on Friday, May 28, 2021 to answer questions on why government spent £345,000 on President Akufo-Addo's 9-day foreign travel.

This was made known by the Managing Director of State Transport Corporation (STC), Nana Akomea when he appeared on Metro TV's Good Morning Ghana show monitored by GhanaWeb.

He lauded the Defence Minister for taking such a bold step to go before the House to iron things out.

"I am hoping that when the Minister of Defense goes today, he would show why those costing are the best," Nana Akomea said.

He furthered that, "Let me also commend the Minister for Defense, Nitiwul who I also understand sees the matter of importance, that this morning, he may be going to parliament to deal with it. That is the way we move forward."

Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, filed an urgent question on Thursday demanding full disclosure on what he termed the president's lavish travels.

Mr Ablakwa in a social media post questioned why President Akufo-Addo did not use the presidential jet for his travels despite it being fit for purpose but rather chose to rent the airbus which costs and estimated £15,000 an hour.

He said per his calculations, Akufo-Addo's recent trip to Europe and other parts of Africa cost the nation a total of £345,000, equivalent to GH¢2,828,432.80.