The Safety of President Akufo-Addo is Paramount: Razak Kojo Opoku Writes
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has been busy lately critizing every foreign travel of President Akufo-Addo just like he deliberately did against former President Kufuor prior to the 2008 general elections.
But the question many Ghanaians are asking Okudzeto Ablakwa is that in the absence of a serviceable and fit for purpose airplane for long hours travel, what should President Akufo-Addo use for such long hours foreign travels?
We are being told by Okudzeto Ablakwa that the recent 10-day-working travel of President Akufo-Addo would cost the taxpayers a total sum of US$776, 000 or Cedi equivalent of GHc4, 979,328.16, that is, US$ 77,600 daily. Even if that is the case and so what?
Is President Akufo-Addo traveling for his own pleasure or leisure? Certainly not.
Should President Akufo-Addo risk his life and safety just to satisfy the egoism of Okudzeto? Certainly not.
For the avoidance of doubt, President Akufo-Addo has been duly invited to be present in a capacity as the Chairman of ECOWAS as well as representing Ghana, and participate fully in all these important gatherings of community of nations to address the recent rampant Coup De’tats spreading across the African countries, especially West Africa.
Okudzeto Ablakwa could be doing sensible and proper non-partisan analysis if he has been able to:
1. Compare and contrast expenditures of other Presidents attending these events that President Akufo-Addo would be attending.
2. Tell the taxpayers how much they have been wasting on bunch of non-performing Members of Parliament regarding ex-gratia, sitting allowances, medical bills etc.
3. Tell Taxpayers how much they were spending on the foreign travels of John Mahama and Lordina Mahama between the period of 2017-2016.
4. Tell Taxpayers how much they have been wasting on Medical bills of Speaker Bagbin in Dubai.
5. Tell Taxpayers how much they have been wasting on the foreign travels of Speaker Bagbin and his family.
Okudzeto Ablakwa is just doing repetition of speculations and useless propaganda against Akufo-Addo with the hope that Ghanaians will fall for it.