By Nathaniel Nartey.
Security Analyst, Adam Bonaa, has cautioned against having public discussions on issues concerning the President’s foreign travels, for security reasons.
This is in response to calls by MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa for a National Presidential Travel Policy.
According to Mr. Ablakwa, the policy will enforce strict guidelines and check expensive travels at the expense of the country’s purse. This follows allegations that President Akufo-Addo hired another luxurious aircraft on his recent foreign trips to the UK and Germany at a cost of £14 thousand per hour.
Reacting to this, Mr. Bonaa said although such a policy is desirable, it should be discussed behind closed doors and not in the open. This is because the President’s travels are issues of National Security.
“As far as I am concerned, you don’t discuss the Presidential travels in the open, you don’t do that. And so when I hear discussions on the Presidential travels in the open, I always think that we have to relook at some of these conversations we have in the media but that is not to say if someone is spending too much it’s even difficult to say that when you look at the sub-region where we find ourselves. Anyone who knows the route to Europe will tell you that you will still have to go through some of these unstable countries.”
“A document on the Presidential travel is important but this is for national security to determine. It shouldn’t be a document that will be out there in the public. I think that we ought to be very careful, looking at what happened in Rwanda,” according to Security Analyst, Adam Bonaa.
Another Security Analyst, David Agbee, on the other hand, agreed with MP for North Tongu, Okudzeto Ablakwa for a National Presidential Travel Policy. According to him, the expenditure of the President’s foreign travels needs to be checked.
“I think that Okudzeto Ablakwa is actually coming with this Presidential Travel Policy as a result of the fact that the President has abused his travels which has incurred a lot of debt to the country.’’
“I think it is the growing trend of the President’s travels which has cost the country so much to suggest that if we should have such a well-crafted policy which can regulate the travels of the President, it is a step in the right direction,” perspective of Security Analyst, David Agbee.