Ghana’s Dassault Falcon 900 EXE is currently being used by the Guinea-Bissau President, Général Umaro El Mokhtar Sissoco Embaló, who is currently attending the inauguration ceremony of São Tomé President-elect, Carlos Vila Nova.
In pictures sighted by GhanaWeb on President Embaló’s verified Facebook page, the President is seen bidding his officials farewell as he boards the Falcon 900 EXE to travel to São Tomé and Príncipe for the inauguration today.
“His Excellency the President of the Republic, Army Général Umaro Mokhtar Sissoco is on his way to Sao Tome where he will participate tomorrow Saturday in the swearing-in ceremony of the elected president of this Lusophonic country, Carlos Vila Nova,” the Facebook post read.
In another set of photographs, Général Umaro El Mokhtar Sissoco Embaló, is seen disembarking the Falcon 900 EXE with the caption, “the President of the Republic has arrived safely in São Tomé-et-Príncipe for the inauguration ceremony of President-elect Carlos Vila Nova.”
Upon his arrival at the São Tomé International Airport, he was greeted by Edite Ten Jua, São Tomé Foreign Minister.
A post with pictures of the Falcon 900 EXE behind Embaló read:
“His Excellency the President of the Republic Army, Général Umaro Mokhtar Sissoco, arrived early this afternoon in São Tomé to attend the inauguration ceremony of President-elect Carlos Vila Nova.
“Upon arrival at São Tomé International Airport, the Head of State was greeted by Foreign Minister São Tomé and Príncipe, Edite Ten Jua.”
This is not the first time another West African President is seen using Ghana’s presidential jet.
It was used by Liberian President, George Manneh Weah to and from Ghana for an Emergency ECOWAS Summit in Ghana on September 15, 2021.
The jet that the President of Ghana uses to travel for international conferences has in recent times become a subject of discussion.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been accused by the MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, of abandoning the functional jet for luxury aircraft that come at a huge expense of the ordinary taxpayer.
The MP had stated, he would demand some answers from the Foreign Affairs Minister when Parliament reconvenes, on why the Liberian President was allowed to use the Presidential jet.
The MP had said, in an interview with Citi News, that the Ministry needed to come clean on not only why the African leader was given the jet but also if it will constitute a “double financial burden” on Ghana following Akufo-Addo’s use of another jet for his travels.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry in responding to the MP’s comment, described it as unfortunate because it is a normal practice for countries to lend their aircraft to other Heads of State.
The Ministry explained in a press statement that as part of bilateral and multilateral diplomatic relations, various friendly States provide assistance of different forms to each other.
“Government is not on a quest to dissipate wantonly, State resources but is focused on pursuing a pragmatic foreign policy that fosters regional integration and good neighbourliness in a climate of peace and stability. This ultimately inures to the benefit of Ghana and West Africa at large,” parts of the statement read.
The statement further stated, “In an era when Ghana’s leadership and citizenry are championing a renewal of Pan-Africanism across the continent and the diaspora, (with free trade taking off under the AfCFTA), Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa’s insular posture comes as a surprise to the Ministry.
“In the light of the strenuous and concerted efforts by ECOWAS leaders to broker peace in the region, the Ministry finds it rather unfortunate that Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa would seek deliberately to muddy the waters with these negative comments.”
The French-built Dassault Falcon 900 EX-Easy aircraft, was acquired during President John Agyekum Kufuor’s era in 2007 but was delivered for use in 2010.
Source: Ghanaweb.com
