$50m spent on renting aircraft in the last decade – Defence Minister reveals

The Minister of Defence, Hon. Dominic Nitiwul has disclosed that the government has spent over $50 million in the last decade on renting aircraft alone.

The revelation comes on the back of concerns raised over the foreign trip of President Akufo-Addo where it has been alleged that it cost the taxpayer a gargantuan amount close to GHS2.8 billion.

Amid calls for the purchase of a new presidential jet to avoid spending such an amount in the future, Defense Minister Dominic Nitiwul insists that it is very necessary.

Speaking on Good Evening Ghana on Thursday, June 17, 2021, the Minister shared that the records in the last 10 years show that the country has spent over $50 million on renting aircraft.

“We are spending more money to charter aircraft than we would have if we had our own aircraft. Over the last 10 years, we have spent over a 50million dollars to charter aircraft and the Ghana Air force is saying why are you wasting all this money,” Dominic Nitiwul said.

The defense minister continued, “If you have 50million United States dollars to charter aircraft to cater for soldiers only, why won’t you give us that money for us to buy a bigger aircraft.”

Ghana’s current presidential jet has been used by the last three presidents including the late former President John Evans Atta-Mills and John Dramani Mahama.