Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, is calling on the government to provide full disclosure on the cost and logistics of President John Dramani Mahama’s recent international trip to Japan and Singapore.
Assafuah insists it is his constitutional right as a legislator to seek clarity on matters involving public finances, especially those relating to presidential travel.
Assafuah defended a controversial Facebook post in which he questioned whether President Mahama had used a private jet and the potential cost to taxpayers.
“I have every right as an MP to demand transparency on how the President is travelling, how much it’s costing the taxpayer, who is travelling with him, and how much they’re being paid in per diem. This information should not be kept from the public,” he said.
In his original post, Assafuah claimed that a private jet with the registration M-BAEP departed Accra on Sunday, August 17, and speculated that it was being used for the President’s official visit. He estimated the cost of the trip could reach $690,000.
Though the government has clarified that President Mahama travelled via commercial airline Emirates, Assafuah expressed skepticism, suggesting the full delegation may not have flown commercially.
“I’m not convinced the entire presidential team flew on Emirates as claimed,” he added.
In response, Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, dismissed Assafuah’s claims as “politically motivated falsehoods,” affirming that the President did not use a private jet.
“President Mahama travelled to Japan via Emirates. These claims are nothing but a shambolic effort at propaganda,” Kwakye Ofosu said.
The President’s current trip is focused on strengthening bilateral ties and attracting investment under the Resetting Ghana agenda. While government maintains due process was followed, Assafuah insists that accountability on travel costs and delegation details is essential.
