Deputy Chief of Staff, Stanislav Xoese Dogbe, has hit back at Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, after the MP claimed that President John Dramani Mahama had chartered a private jet for an international trip.
Assafuah alleged on social media that a private jet with registration number M-BAEP was being used by the president.
He went further to estimate the supposed costs of the flight, claiming it would run into several hundreds of thousands of dollars depending on the journey route.
According to his calculations, a 7-hour flight from Accra would cost about $105,000, with an additional 12-hour leg to Japan costing $180,000.
He further suggested that a stop in Singapore would add another $105,000, and a 20-hour return trip to Germany and Accra could add $300,000.
“This private jet, M-BAEP, left Accra this morning around 7 a.m. It is estimated to cost $15,000 per hour to rent this flight. A simple calculation shows that the 7-hour journey already covered amounts to $105,000. If the flight proceeds to Japan, which is likely to take about 12 hours, that would be another $180,000.
“If it then continues to Singapore, approximately 7 hours away, that would add another $105,000. Finally, if the jet flies directly to Germany and then back to Accra a total of about 20 hours return trip that would add another $300,000,” Assafuah wrote.
In a swift rebuttal, Dogbe described the Old Tafo MP as “a disgrace of an MP”, accusing him of lying and spreading misinformation.
“A disgrace of an MP! Lying unintelligently, and worse still, never learns from his constant mix ups. Amevlo!”
He noted that Mahama did not use any private jet but rather flew out of Accra aboard a commercial airline together with what he described as “right-thinking Ghanaians.”
“This one here will also demand to be called ‘Honourable’!
“Even if you are not street smart, it doesn’t take that much brain work to avoid embarrassing yourself, or?
“The president was live on many TV networks between 10.30 am and 12.45 pm, attending the thanksgiving mass of Dr Edward Omane Boamah at the Christ the King Parish.
“Did he take off in the supposed jet at 7.00 am and flew back for the 10.30 am mass? I guess we have to ask his classmates how smart this guy was in his lower school days because… Eish!
“This is not how to be relevant oooh! Vincent Ekow Assafuah, invest in reading and how to be politically relevant and stop disgracing MPs.”
