Ghana’s Presidential Jet Grounded Due to Severe Corrosion, Says Defence Minister

On July 21, 2025, during the Government Accountability Series at the Jubilee House, Ghana’s Minister for Defence, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, revealed that the nation’s presidential jet, a Falcon aircraft, remains out of service due to extensive corrosion issues. He noted that the jet has been grounded for a significant period, with ongoing maintenance repeatedly delayed beyond promised timelines.

“It is sad to note that for some time now, whenever the aircraft goes for either maintenance or repair… And in this case, as we speak, the aircraft is still not in,” Dr. Boamah stated. Expressing caution about sharing the latest scheduled return date due to past unmet deadlines, he added, “We’ve been given a date, but I don’t want to put that date out because I’ve been given too many dates which did not materialise.” He expressed hope that the jet would soon return to Ghana.

Dr. Boamah highlighted the severity of the aircraft’s condition, stating that independent experts, beyond the Ghana Air Force, confirmed significant corrosion. “The truth is that it is heavily corroded, and this is not the Air Force itself saying it; these are third independent parties putting out this when it was sent away,” he explained. However, he firmly rejected using the jet’s condition as an excuse for frequent reliance on costly private jet rentals, stating, “That does not in any way justify hiring or renting luxurious aircraft, persistently, no way.”

The Minister assured the public that the government is reviewing the air and naval capabilities of the Ghana Armed Forces to guide future decisions. “So be assured that hopefully when we are considering the air assets of the Air Force, the Ghana Navy, the Ghana Army, all these things will be considered and the right decision taken,” he said. For now, the priority is restoring the Falcon to a serviceable state, with Dr. Boamah emphasizing, “We are focused on restoring what we have to a serviceable state so that we can make do with it.”

The Government Accountability Series provides a platform for sector ministers to deliver mid-year updates, fostering transparency and public trust in government performance.

Source: African Publicity