$37m For Presidential Jet Not Part Of Air Force Budget

News reaching Joy News from parliament says that the $37 million budget allocated by government for the purchase of a 12-seater Falcon-900 presidential jet is not part of the $100 million budget for the acquisition of equipment for Ghana’s Air Force. Joy News’ Parliamentary Correspondent, Araba Coomson says even though parliament has ratified the $100 million budget for the purchase of equipment including aircrafts, laptops and Personal Computers for the Ghana Air Force, the House has gone into a closed meeting to discuss the $37 million for the purchase of a presidential jet. This revelation raises some questions about what government appointees have been telling the Ghanaian public. Initially, government appointees have said the purchase of the jet was part of the entire budget including the purchase of the presidential jet when the matter came up. This created the impression that the $37 million was part of the $100 million budget for the purchase of equipment for the Air Force. Justifying the purchase during an interview on Thursday March 13, 2008, on Joy FM's Super Morning Show, Mr Andrew Awuni, Presidential Spokesperson said the purchase of the jet was part of the total budgeted for the purchase of equipment for the Ghana Air Force which old fleet would have to be grounded in three years. There have been public outcry against the idea since the news broke. The argument is being made that the plans by government to purchase a presidential jet at the cost of $37 million when Ghanaians can’t afford basic daily amenities like water is misplaced. This morning during an interview on Citi FM, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, a former minister in the Kufuor administration also justified the purchase of the presidential jet saying that Ghana needs to acquire the presidential jet to lift the country’s image among countries’ of the world. He further argued that there are other countries that are poorer than Ghana, but own presidential jets. It is however, not clear when parliament will conclude the meeting and make its decision known on the $37 million budget for a presidential jet.