Accra: Ghana's Minister of Defence, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, has announced that the country's presidential jet, Falcon-900, is currently in France for inspection and maintenance to address significant defects.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr. Boamah informed Parliament that the 15-year-old aircraft was sent to France on March 11, 2025, for routine 24-month inspection due to extensive issues identified by the technical team. These issues include corrosion in critical components like the turbofan, left and right-wing engines, and the fuel tank. The Vice President, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, had to return to Ghana on a private jet on May 22, 2025, due to the unavailability of the presidential aircraft.
Dr. Boamah responded to an urgent question from Mr. Vincent Ekow Assafuah, the NPP Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, regarding the Vice President's return on a private jet. The Minister noted that the jet was expected back in Ghana by July 31, 2025, but additional defects may delay its return. He clarified that the aircraft serves not only the Executive but also other government branches and institutions.
He attributed the defects to delayed maintenance in previous years and discouraged framing the issue within a political context, urging a nationalistic perspective. Regarding presidential international travel, Dr. Boamah suggested that decisions be left to the President's Office and the Ghana Airforce.