General News of Wednesday, 25 March 2015

Source: starrfmonline.com

Parliament approves £33m loan for military aircraft

Parliament has approved a £33,325,126-million loan facility with Airbus Defence and Space SAU to purchase a C-295 CASA aircraft and other related equipment for the Ghana Armed Forces.

The facility also has a $300 million component for Peace Keeping efforts for the Ghana Armed forces.

Earlier, the Minority Leader of Parliament Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu had asked the Defence and Interior Committee of Parliament to ensure that due diligence was done on the loan agreement for the purchase of the aircraft.

According to him, similar loan agreements that were approved by Parliament have not benefitted the state.

He charged the speaker to get the committee to ensure the deal is in the interest of the state.

However, Starr News’ Kobby Mensah Gomez who was in Parliament today, Wednesday March 25, reports that all outstanding issues had been resolved prior to the approval of the loan by the House.