Lead by example – Ablakwa fires Akufo-Addo over travel ban
Concerning the travel ban issued by President Akufo-Addo to his Ministers and their deputies, one of the vociferous critics of how President Akufo-Addo commutes around the world in the person of Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, legislator for North Tongu Constituency has called on the president to lead by example in the travel directive to his ministers by also not travelling for a month.
The legislator’s admonishment is on the back of the recent travel directive from President Akufo-Addo to his Ministers who also double as legislators to suspend their travels for a month.
Though the reason behind such an instruction is not yet known, some sources believe that the president needs them for the budget appropriation for 2022 following the recent skirmishes in Ghana’s Parliament between the Minority and Majority.
Only for health reasons can any of the said ministers travel.
However, Mr Ablakwa who is also a ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee called on President Akufo-Addo to show leadership by also staying in the country till the 2022 budget appropriation is done.
He indicated that president Akufo-Addo must ensure that there is a consensus on matters relating to the budget since he bemoaned that that kind of leadership is missing.
He [Akufo-Addo] himself must suspend travel and lead the efforts towards ensuring approval of the 2022 budget. What has been lacking so far is leadership. That trip should have been suspended because your legislative body is in crisis, and you are holding meetings with legislators in another jurisdiction. What we expect to see is that the president will bring leadership to bear. He must take over the budget approval process. The president has been missing. He must lead mediation and listen to the Ghanaian people,” Mr. Ablakwa stated.
Mr Ablakwa has been noted as one of the critics of President Akufo- Addo’s travels accusing him of wasting taxpayer money on a luxurious private jet for his trip whiles Ghana has a presidential jet.
Also, the legislator’s efforts to get government officials to account for the President’s travel so far have proved futile.
By: Stella Annan | myactiveonline.com Twitter @activetvgh
