Foreign Affairs Minister-designate Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has pledged to advocate for a well-defined presidential travel policy to regulate official trips undertaken by Ghana’s Head of State.Appearing before the Appointments Committee, Ablakwa highlighted the need for structured guidelines to ensure accountability and efficiency in the management of presidential travel.

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He argued that the absence of such a policy has led to unnecessary controversies and inconsistencies in the use of state resources for both official and private trips.“This is a matter that I am very passionate about, and I, if given the opportunity at the cabinet, will propose that Ghana formulate a presidential travel policy,” Ablakwa stated.

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Drawing comparisons with international best practices, he cited the United States as an example, where strict rules govern presidential travel and the use of official aircraft.“If you take the US, when the President uses the presidential jet (Air Force One) for private trips, he is made to reimburse the state. They also have clear guidelines on who can use those jets and how they should be maintained. We don’t have that,” he explained.

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He reiterated his commitment to spearheading discussions on the policy, emphasizing that it is time for Ghana to adopt a transparent framework for presidential travel.“It is important to pursue that policy. I can assure you that I remain committed to it, and I think that it is time for the government to have a presidential travel policy,” he affirmed.

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