Akufo-Addo’s Germany trip: Gabby thinks we are all fools – Abraham Amaliba

The Director of the Legal Affairs of the National Democratic Congress(NDC), Mr Abraham Amaliba has taken a swipe at the Member of the ruling New Patriotic Party, Mr Gabby Otchere Darko following a comment he made about the President recent trip to Germany.

Akufo-Addo returned with 1.5million vaccines

Mr Otchere Darko in a twitter post reacting to criticisms about the cost of the flight of the President recent trip to Germany urged Ghanaians to look at the positives of the trip instead of the cost.

According to him, the President returned with 1.5million vaccines among other investor related items and that was what the focus should be on instead of the £14,000 per hour and a cumulative ¢3.46 million cost of the chartered luxurious flight used.

 “Ghana’s President traveled to Germany for a week and returned with 1.5 million vaccines, among other investor-related items. But, of course, the focus of those who seasonally choose to know the cost of everything but the value of little is on the cost of the flight chartered”.

Ghana’s President travelled to Germany for a week and returned with 1.5 million vaccines, among other investor-related items. But, of course, the focus of those who seasonally choose to know the cost of everything but the value of little, is on the cost of the flight chartered!

— Gabby Otchere-Darko (@GabbyDarko) September 1, 2021

Nana Addo’s Germany trip – Gabby thinks we are all fools

However, reacting to Mr Otchere Darko’s comment on TV3 NewDay on Friday, September 3, monitored by GhanaPlus.com, Mr Amaliba said the former thinks everybody was a fool and quiz if the same purpose couldn’t have been achieved if the President had used the country’s presidential jet or less expensive flight to Germany.

“You are going to beg people for AstraZeneca , you are going to beg for money and that is what Gabby is talking about, he thinks we are all fools that we are not looking at the result,” he said.

“Can’t we achieve that same result by using the Presidential jet? So do you think that if we had use the Presidential jet to go to Germany, the German government will deny us the AstraZeneca because we came with  our presidential jet and we should have come in a luxurious jet,” he quiz.

Akufo-Addo embark on an official visit to Germany

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on August 22 paid an official visit to the Federal Republic of Germany upon the invitation of the German Chancellor, Angela Merkerl.

The week long week-long visit was among other things to deepen the co-operation and bonds of friendship between the two countries.

While there, the president held several meetings including one with officials of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer to discuss the establishment of a National Vaccine Institution in Ghana and procurement of more Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines to improve Ghana’s vaccination

He also deliver a speech at the 75^th anniversary of the country’s number one industrial region,  North Rhine-Westphalia state.

The trip also saw Germany support Ghana with 1.5million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines to assist the country in its fight against the deadly corona virus disease.

Akufo-Addo spent £14,000 per hour in Germany trip

However, a Facebook post made by the Member of Parliament for the North Tongu Constituency, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said the charted flight used by President in his Germany trip cost £14,000 per hour.

“If our government is dealing directly with the operators of the LX-DIO then it is costing the Ghanaian taxpayer at least US$14,000 per hour. However, if our government is leasing the aircraft via brokers or middlemen as it has gained notoriety for in many sectors, you shouldn’t be surprised the Ghanaian taxpayer is being billed between US$18,000 and US$22,000 per hour”.

“Using the conservative rate of US$14,000 per hour, the two trips to the UK and Germany which requires some 28 hours of travel distance in and out plus an additional 13 hours of pick up and drop off time, the taxpayer has been burdened again to the colossal tune of US$574,000.00. At the current exchange rate, that is a staggering 3.46million Ghana Cedis.”

He described the development as an unconscionable rape of the public purse and called for a policy to regulate the Presidential travels.

Akufo-Addo spent €15,000 per hour on trip to France

The news of the cost of the new trip comes barely three month the President embarked on the luxurious €15,000 per hour nine-day visit to France, Belgium, South Africa, and back to the country.

Source: GhanaPlus.com