The use of a chartered flight by Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang for her return from London has sparked sharp political debate, prompting a pointed response from Ghana’s Defence Minister, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah.
Members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) have raised concerns over the Vice President’s use of a private jet, drawing comparisons to their past criticisms of similar travel arrangements made by former President Akufo-Addo.
Critics have cited previous comments by government officials, including MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who opposed the use of private jets when a presidential aircraft was available.
In a Facebook post on Friday, 23 May, Dr. Boamah directly addressed the issue, defending the decision and shifting the spotlight onto the condition of the presidential jet, which he said was inherited in poor shape from the previous administration.
He stated, “Let the NPP that suffered the most humiliating defeat in recent memory in both the Presidential and Parliamentary elections know this: Akufo-Addo’s administration rundown the Presidential jet. Among others, its fuel tank is even corroded.”
Dr. Boamah further revealed that the aircraft is currently undergoing “three months of therapy” abroad. This includes maintenance, repair, and overhaul work needed to restore the jet. He added, “The Presidential jet has been in the ‘hospital’ abroad… it is unfit for use presently.”
According to Boamah, the government had no choice but to use alternative means, given the jet’s unserviceable condition.
As political conversations around transparency and resource management continue, Dr. Boamah’s comments aim to highlight what he describes as the legacy of neglect left by the previous government.
