The Minister of State-designate for Government Communications, Felix Ofosu Kwakye says that President John Mahama is not one who indulges in flamboyance or ostentation.
According to him, President Mahama always prioritises cost-effective travel options, ensuring that taxpayer money was not wasted on luxury or unnecessary expenses.
Speaking on the issue of presidential travel during his vetting on Friday, January 31, Mr Kwakye highlighted the president’s personal commitment to modesty and financial prudence.
“President Mahama is not one who is given to flamboyance and ostentation. I’ve had the distinct pleasure of traveling with him a couple of times.
“There was a day that we were supposed to join a commercial aircraft. He was willing to go onto that aircraft that had only two seats left without any of his aides,” he said.
He recounted an occasion when President Mahama travelled from Frankfurt to Accra in economy class without complaint, even though he could have opted for a more comfortable arrangement.
He noted that unlike former President Nana Akufo-Addo, who rented expensive private jets for official travel, Mr Mahama has consistently chosen the most cost-effective means available.
Mr Kwakye assured Ghanaians that once the presidential aircraft was confirmed to be in good condition, the President would use it for all his official trips.
He stressed that unless unavoidable circumstances dictate otherwise, Mr Mahama would always opt for the most affordable and safe travel alternative.
“He will use it every single time that he has to travel, unless, of course, some circumstance makes it impossible, even then, he will choose the cheapest option available to the extent that it is safe and can take him to wherever he has to go,” he stated.
His remarks come amid growing debates over government travel expenditures, with concerns raised about the high cost of renting private jets.
Former Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul has expressed strong disapproval over President Mahama’s decision to use his brother’s private jet for official duties instead of the state-owned presidential jet.
Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express on Wednesday, January 22, he described the move as “wrong” and questioned the rationale behind abandoning a fully functional presidential jet.
“I’m saying that there’s a lack of sincerity,” The Bimbilla MP stated.
“The presidential jet is in good order. In fact, former President Nana Akufo-Addo used this presidential jet either on the 22nd or 23rd of December to Takoradi because we had to go to Nzulezu to commission a Naval base, and he used this jet. I was there. It was the same jet he used on 29th December to Kumasi,” he said.
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