Right wing political commentator Paul Adom-Otchere has rendered what many say is a sarcastic apology to President John Dramani over the travel struggles faced due to the non-availability of functioning Presidential jet.
The President’s recent trip to Japan as we are made aware was fraught with flight challenges since the presidential jet was grounded at the Dassault Falcon Service facility in Le Bourget, France, for four months due to massive wear and tear issues.
As a result, he flew first class on Emirates Airlines but endured a long layover in Dubai before connecting to Tokyo.
Commenting on the matter on his Good Evening program, Adom-Otchere repeatedly said: “Mr. President, we are sorry. We are really sorry.” His “apology,” however, was laced with criticism of what he called petty politics that has long surrounded the debate over presidential travel.
“Petty, petty politics. Politics that is animated by hatred. That’s why I’m sad today. Because of somebody’s ambition for power, he denigrates a president so much so that another person becomes president and he’s afraid to make a decision in the interest of the president’s safety…”
“…In the interest of the president’s comfort so that he can think, in the interest of the president’s security so that he’s confident to present his case. President of Ghana is sitting at a location in Dubai, 22 hours.”
Paul Adom-Otchere added that the political attacks on President Akufo-Addo’s use of private jets years earlier had created an environment where decisions on presidential travel are now clouded by fear of public backlash, leaving leaders like Mahama exposed to unnecessary risks.
“What kind of security is protected, is provided for him over there? He’s not in the comfort of his Jubilee house where all the security is available. The Ghana armed forces are available. The Ghana police service is available. National security is available. But here, he’s in a location outside his country and he’s not in his own plane. He’s sitting in a location 22 hours. Why? Because of terrible politics.”
“Bad, bad politics. Never again. We should never encourage that again. People encouraged it. Hey, Akufo Ado is bad. Akufo is baffling in the air. He can’t baffle in the air. When Dominic Nitiwu stood before parliament and said that the presidential jet is not fit for purpose and that the president cannot even freshen up in it. Hey!”
He further noted that Ghana is home to wealthy individuals and even members of the Mahama family who own private jets, suggesting that the state could have chartered such an aircraft for the trip without controversy.
According to him, the prolonged wait in Dubai not only inconvenienced the former President but also raised serious security concerns, as the Head of State was left vulnerable outside Ghana’s protected environment.
Adom-Otchere insisted that the issue was not about whether presidents deserve private jets, but about the hypocrisy and double standards in Ghana’s political discourse.