It’s not normal practice to disclose cost of Akufo-Addo’s travels – Kan Dapaah

The hopes of North Tongu Member of Parliament Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa to get answers on presidential Akufo Addo’s travels by the use of a rented jet allegedly has hit a snag as the National Security Minister has declined answers to his questions.

Mr Ablakwa for months has filed questions to the Defense Minister, Finance Minister and the National Security Minister for answers on the cost of the president’s travels.

Answering the question on the floor of parliament, on Friday, December 17, Mr Kan Dapaah said he was unable to disclose the details as it constitutes top secret.

“Mr Speaker, recent official travels to France, Belgium, and South Africa by His Excellency the President are paid for out of the operational funds from the Ministry of National Security.

“Mr Speaker payments out of the ministry’s operational funds are glued with rules of confidentiality and state secrecy and it is not the normal practice…to make the suggested disclosures.”

It is recalled that the Minister of State at the Ministry of Interior who is also the Member of Parliament of Abetifi constituency, Mr Bryan Acheampong, also said recently that he advised Mr Kan Dapaah not to release information on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s trips outside Ghana.

He said during the debate on the 2022 budget statement on Tuesday, November 23 that information about the President’s travels cannot be made public because of national security reasons.

He said “anytime our president travels he returns with goodies. He visited Germany and he came home with vaccines. Anytime he travels, he comes with goodies,” he said.

Mr Acheampong added “I advised the Minister of National Security to keep the information on presidential travels secret.

“It is not every information that can be divulged to the public. Hitherto, it was information that can be shared but it is no longer information that can be played in the Political arena,” he said.”