Don’t ‘muddy the waters with these negative comments’ – Ablakwa schooled
The Foreign Affairs ministry has said that it is normal for Ghana’s Presidential Jet to be occasionally used by the Heads of State of other countries within the sub-region.
It indicated that such assistance improves the bilateral and multilateral relations among the countries and revealed that in times past Ghana also benefitted from such gestures.
This was the ministry’s answer to the question lingering on the North Tongu Legislator Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa’s mind on why Liberian president George Weah allegedly used Ghana’s presidential jet to attend the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Summit.
According to the Ministry’s statement, they were surprised at Hon Ablakwa’s stance on the issue citing that “In the light of the strenuous and concerted efforts by ECOWAS leaders to broker peace in the region, the Ministry finds it rather unfortunate that Hon. Okedezeto Ablakwa would seek to deliberately muddy the waters with these negative comments.”
The Ministry’s reply stems from the constant criticism by Hon Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and demand for answers on the cost of President Akufo-Addo’s trip via bigger and luxurious private jets and why the Liberian President used Ghana’s presidential jet.
He expressed hopes to get answers on Mr Weah’s use of the jet when Parliament gets back from recess the next month.
But the Foreign Affairs Ministry has taken strong exceptions to the stance taken by Mr Ablakwa who is also a ranking member on the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament.
“In the latest of such utterances, Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa sought to suggest that transporting the President of Liberia, His Excellency George Weah, abroad Ghana’s presidential jet to participate in the emergency ECOWAS Summit during the recent political crisis in Guinea, constituted and impropriety. Nothing could be further from the truth”
“It must be emphasized that the practice of sharing travel resources among West African Heads of State and high-ranking officials, is not a recent phenomenon. Indeed, in the past, some Heads of State have, in their capacity as Chair of ECOWAS, extended this courtesy”, the Ministry explained.
By: Stella Annan | myactiveonline.com Twitter @activetvgh
