The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has dismissed reports that the children of a close relative of President Akufo-Addo used the Presidential Jet for a shopping trip to the UK in December 2021.

In a statement released on Sunday, signed by the Acting Director, Public Relations, Commander Andy La-Anyane, GAF, said the claims are frivolous and without any basis.

He stated that the Falcon EX jet has not been to Europe for a very long time.

“We believe that this unfortunate publication, which has been circulated widely, is a calculated effort to undermine the image of the Ghana Armed Forces in the eyes of the general public,” part of the statement reads.

This is in reaction to allegations by the Executive Director of Alliance for Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), Mr Mensah Thompson.

In a post on Facebook, Mr Thompson claimed that between December 20 and 30, 2021, the children of a close relative of the President took the jet on a trip to the UK to shop.

“They didn’t go alone; they went with their friends and partied in the sky all through the trip, taking snap videos and flaunting their lucky adventure,” he stated.

“Ghana has spent close to half a billion dollars in the last two years renting private jets for our President while his family members continue to lavish in our rejected aircraft at the expense of the poor taxpayer,” Mr Thompson alleged.

However, the Ghana Armed Forces maintained that the claims are only a figment of the author’s imagination.

It added that the allegation can easily be verified “since there is always a task order for the movement of all Ghana Air Force platforms.”

They called on Ghanaians, especially politicians once again, not to drag the GAF into any partisan politics.

Meanwhile, GAF has referred the matter to the Police for investigation.

“In view of the seriousness we attach to such malicious publications, the issue has been referred to the Inspector General of Police for further investigations,” GAF hinted.