Finance Minister To Account For Akufo Addo’s recent Foreign Trips Today

The Finance Minister, Mr Ken Ofori Atta, is expected to brief Parliament on the cost of President Akufo Addo’s recent trips to the Europe and South Africa later today, Wednesday, July 21, 2021. This comes after the North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, filed two urgent questions on the use of a private jet for the trips. I hope

that the Finance Minister will be candid, transparent and unimpeachably sincere also with the House after the rigmarole, Mr. Ablakwa said in Parliament last week. Mr. Ofori Atta will also be expected to answer a question by the MP for Dormaa East, Paul Twum-Barimah, on the air travel cost of all charter flights of the former President

John Mahama between the periods 2013 to 2016. On June 1, 2021, the first part of Ablakwa’s question dealt with the airworthiness of the presidential jet and was answered by the Minister for Defence, Dominic Nitiwul. On the same day, Mr. Ofori Atta was also expected to account for the cost, but Mr. Ablakwa claims that could

not happen because the Minister had requested more time to furnish the House on the cost of the president’s trips. The question was also subsequently taken off the Business Statement of the Parliament, although the Minister had about two weeks earlier to prepare his response. Mr. Ablakwa was upset by the turn of events

and threatened to initiate a vote of censure against Mr. Ofori Atta if he continues to also delay his appearance before the House and to render accounts. He had also accused the Majority side of the House of shielding the Finance Minister from answering his question.