The controversial presidential jet will be commissioned this morning by the Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama. The Falcon 900 will be commissioned at the Airforce base at Burma Camp in Accra. Information Minister, John Akolgo Tia and other government dignitaries, as well as the military high command are expected to attend the commissioning ceremony. The aircraft was scheduled to be commissioned on arrival on Thursday September 30, at the Jubilee Lounge of the Kotoka International Airport but that was cancelled at the last minute. No explanations were given but sources close to the authorities said the commissioning was suspended pending the arrival of President JEA Mills who was outside the country at the time. The Falcon-900 will replace the Fokker 27 which has become known as the flying coffin. The debate over the acquisition of a presidential jet began as far back as 2001 when the NPP assumed power. President Kufuor refused to use a Gulf Stream Presidential jet acquired by the Rawlings administration after he (Kufuor) while in opposition questioned the circumstances under which that jet was acquired. Having disposed off the Gulfstream, Mr Kufuor’s government in 2007 begun the process of acquiring the 37 million dollar Falcon 900 presidential jet and an Airbus for the Ghana Air Force. When the purchase agreement for the jet came before Parliament in 2008, it became a subject of intense debate and the then Minority NDC argued that the $37 million to be spent on the jet could have been used to save the dire water crisis facing the country. But the Kufuor government maintained the jet was absolutely necessary and proceeded with the process of acquiring it. Source: Joy News/Ghana