Big Spend or Big Benefit? Ghana Gov’t Seeks Parliament’s Nod for €125M Helicopters & $60M Presidential Jet—Debate Rages Over Priorities and Prudent Spending!
Contracts for the acquisition of a presidential jet and four helicopters for the Ghana Air Force have been filed by the government to the members of Parliament. Airbus Helicopter (SAS) is the company with which the first contract was struck; it is worth €125.97 million and includes the sale of one H160 and three H175 helicopters. The second transaction, which has a value of $60.68 million, is with Dassault Aviation and involves the sale of a Falcon 6X. The agreements were submitted by Ernest Brogya Genfi, the Deputy Minister of Defense, and then forwarded to the Defense and Interior Committee as well as the Finance Committee for their consideration. Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa reassured the Minority that President Mahama is not flying private, as his predecessor was, after the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s budget of GH₵1.70 billion was approved. He went on to explain that the prior expenditure on charter planes might have been used to acquire a new aircraft. According to his statement, Mahama is pursuing a more cautious approach by making investments in assets that provide advantages to the Ghana Armed Forces. On the other hand, Deputy Minority Leader Habib Iddrisu condemned the government for allocating more than GH₵13 billion to the purchase of helicopters and luxury jets while simultaneously underfunding the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Iddrisu called for the cancellation of the aircraft purchases and questioned why Ablakwa had not spoken out on the issue.
