Gaddafi, Jerry and Presidential Jet

The Dispatch says as President John Kufuor concludes his visit to Libya, credible reports filtering in have revealed that one of the topic discussed between the Ghanaian President and his Libyan host, President Muamar Al-Qathafi, was how the issue of the controversial lease of the President jet, the Gulfstream III could be 'settled amicably' without much embarrassment to Jerry Rawlings and his former government.

It was not clear how the talks went but there are indications that some highly-placed officials in the former Rawlings administration made the initial approaches on the issue.

These approaches were said to have been made following the decision by President Kufuor to dispose of the jet and get to the bottom of the lease: which company leased it to Ghana, the terms, etc.

As a first step, the Kufuor administration has defaulted in the payment of the lease for January 2001. It is looking likely that the government will default in payment again for February. This, analysts believe, will enable the government get to know the company, those behind it, the terms and other necessary information that have not been forthcoming.