Enough of the rape of public purse – Sammy Gyamfi jabs Akufo-Addo on extravagant foreign travels

The National Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has taken a jibe at President Akufo-Addo for allegedly spending £15,000 an hour to charter a top-range luxury aircraft.

Sammy Gyamfi, in a tweet Monday, said the huge sum of money could have been used to undertake infrastructural projects which could have solved some basic needs that are almost nonexistent in the lives of Ghanaians including lack of water and quality healthcare.

Enough of the rape of public purse – Sammy Gyamfi jabs Akufo-Addo on extravagant foreign travels
His comments come after the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa accused President Akufo-Addo of ostentatious spending.

In a statement, Mr Ablakwa questioned why the President will refuse to use the official Presidential jet, which he claims is in good shape. But chose to spend £345,000, i.e. ¢2,828,432.80 at the current exchange rate in flight cost during his nine-day visit to France, Belgium, South Africa, and back to the country.

“Per Flightradar24, the G-KELT aircraft left Accra with the President to Paris on the 16th of May — a 6 and half hour duration. Airlifted the President from Paris to Johannesburg for 11 hours on May 23,” the statement said.

Ghanaians can no longer finance the opulent lifestyle of @NAkufoAddo who has chosen to live like a Russian oligarch in this difficult time of economic hardships, joblessness and hopelessness. Enough of the rape of the Public Purse. pic.twitter.com/jKZ2SpJVPy

— Sammy Gyamfi (@SammyGyamfi2017) May 31, 2021
Mr Gyamfi, who was startled by the grandiose spending, stated that Ghanaians could not fund the President’s extravagant lifestyle, especially when the Covid-19 pandemic has caused devastating havoc in the lives of many people.

“Ghanaians can no longer finance the opulent lifestyle of @NAkufoAddo, who has chosen to live like a Russian oligarch in this difficult time of economic hardships, joblessness and hopelessness,” his tweet read.

Highlighting some economic hardships that the country is facing currently, the Communication Officer called for President Akufo-Addo to halt his adding that “enough of the rape of the public purse.”