Namibian President Makes Emergency Stop In Ghana

PRESIDENT Hifikepunye Pohamba, of Namabia, was stranded in Ghana after a replacement for the state's presidential Jet developed technical problems and was forced to land in Accra.

According to a Namibian newspaper, the Namibian delegation, returning from the United Nations General Assembly in New York, were stuck in Cape Verde on Sunday after one of the engines of the Presidential Falcon 900B Jet failed shortly after take-off.

They stopped over in Sal, Cape Verde, to refuel in the morning.

Pohamba's staff then phoned home to instruct Air Namibia to send a Boeing 737-200 to collect the presidential delegation.

The Boeing left Namibia at around midnight on Sunday and picked them up.

However, one engine of the Boeing also experienced problems and they were forced to land again - this time in Accra, Ghana.

Yesterday morning the Namibian delegation unsuccessfully tried to charter a plane from Gabon, eventually managing to secure a Fokker 28 from Ghana in the afternoon.

Sources said the French-made Falcon, bought during the 1992 drought for N$82 million, was a reliable plane but that it was preferable to fly with three functional engines instead of two for safety reasons.

The Government's Lear Jet was not dispatched because it was designed for short distances only.

On Sunday, journalists drove to Hosea Kutako International Airport to report on President Pohamba's return, only to be told that his arrival had been delayed.

Pohamba was expected back at around 24h00 Monday night