Mahama not interested in 'frivolous' trips – Ofosu-Kwakye

The deputy minister for Communications Felix Ofosu-Kwakye has dismissed claims that President John Mahama is globetrotting, saying the President’s trips are for serious work and beneficial to the nation.

Members of the opposition New Patriotic Party have previously slammed the President for embarking on several foreign trips which bring little or no benefit to the country describing it as a waste of Ghana’s scarce resources.

Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, Mathew Opoku Prempeh has also described the president’s trips as wasteful.

He argued that President Mahama has broken the record of presidential travels abroad in the history of the fourth republic.

Speaking on Morning Starr Wednesday, Kwakye Ofosu told host Nii Arday Clegg that such analysis are completely unnecessary.

“These travels are necessary because we are not an island onto ourselves and we live in a world that is fast changing, we need to establish linkages to other countries and organizations in order to derive some benefits.

“Benefits would accrue but sometimes we tend to count the benefits as what money has come to finance a particular development, I think we need to move away from that kind of analysis. Ghana’s standing in the international community is well documented and we are known as a pioneer, a leader of thoughts in the African community, given our history.

“So there is a real need for Ghana to engage in the international community, just look at President Mahama’s intervention in the Ebola crisis… the president is not interested in frivolous travels… it is work… and all that he does, he does it on behalf of the state it is not that he wants to dissipate funds or going for a jolly ride”.

President Mahama is currently in Paris, France, for a meeting with the French President, Francois Hollande on Climate Change and an Electrification for Africa Project.