Government has refuted allegations of dishonesty and hypocrisy about the acquisition of the Falcon Ex-900 for the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF). A statement issued in Accra by the Information Minister John Tia Akologu said government explained that, it took the decision to acquire the plane in the best interest of the country after thoroughly reviewing the agreement, which the previous administration had entered into. “The State would have lost between Five to Seven Million ($5m - 7m) dollars if government had pulled out of the deal” the Information Minister said. Mr. Akologu explained that prior to the exit of the Kufuor Administration, it had committed the state by a down payment of five per cent out of the total 15 per cent government was to pay for the cost of the Falcon Ex-900. “It would not have been prudent and economically wise if the Mills Administration, which believes in the responsible use of scarce national resources in the interest of the people, had pulled out of the deal.” The statement noted that, it is a matter of public record that Ghanaians opposed the acquisition of two jets by former President Kufuor because of the serious economic challenges the country faced at the time, and particularly when the same government had abandoned the Gulf Stream III Jet to rot and later sold it as scrap. The government cancelled the acquisition of the Airbus A319, which was meant for the comfort of the President because of the need of the GAF for an aircraft that would help in troop movement. The statement said government would henceforth concentrate on the purchase of an aircraft that would aid troop movement by the GAF, which paved the way for the current negotiations between Ghana and Brazil for the Brazilian government to finance the purchase of a 90 -seater Embraer 190 Aircraft for the Armed Forces. Additionally, there are plans to buy two training and surveillance aircraft and four helicopters to assist in troop movement, the statement concluded. Source: GNA