The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has reaffirmed his long-standing position on the issue of presidential travels, insisting that his views have not changed despite his elevation to Cabinet rank.

Addressing recent criticisms, Mr. Ablakwa emphasised that his parliamentary oversight on the matter was rooted in the principles of accountability, transparency, and the protection of the public purse.

“My principled position has not changed and will not change.

It has always been for God and Country,” he stressed.

The Minister drew parallels with former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s stance in Parliament in February 2000, when, as Ranking Member on Foreign Affairs, he opposed then-President Jerry John Rawlings’ plans to acquire a new executive jet on grounds of prudence and prioritisation.

Mr. Ablakwa questioned why Akufo-Addo’s arguments were hailed at the time, yet his own scrutiny of the former President’s decision to charter luxury jets at US$18,000 an hour was met with condemnation.

He insisted he had no regrets leading what he described as a “successful patriotic campaign” against what he called wasteful and unjustified expenditures, particularly when Ghana’s existing presidential jet remained in excellent condition.

The Foreign Affairs Minister also pointed out that from mid-2023 until the end of his term in January 2025, former President Akufo-Addo relied on the practice of hiring luxury jets and abandoned Ghana’s presidential jet.

This, he argued, vindicated his position.

Mr. Ablakwa further criticised attempts to “whitewash” what he described as reckless spending by the previous administration, citing the chartered flights, the US$97 million cathedral project, and other questionable contracts as contributors to Ghana’s debt crisis and eventual recourse to the IMF bailout.

He stressed that the new administration under President John Mahama would prioritise truth, modesty, and frugality in resetting the country’s governance and restoring public trust.