Suspicious Aircraft Claim: They Were In Ghana For Legitimate and Genuine Reasons- Gov’t

The Government of Ghana has dispelled reports that two aircraft that landed in the country on March 12 and March 20 were used for drug trafficking and money laundering, noting that their landing was legitimate and genuine.

Addressing the country in a prerecorded video on Facebook, the Minister of State for Government Communication, Felix Ofosu Kwakye, said the claims made by the Member of Parliament for Assin South, Rev John Ntim Fordjour, are total falsehood.

“Two aircraft with completely different purposes arrived in Ghana and their arrival were perfectly legitimate and they were here for very genuine reasons…I say that he (Rev Ntim Fordjour) was peddling falsehood because the facts as they exist vary completely from the claims that he made.”

He affirmed that both planes arrived in Ghana with a landing permit and were inspected by officials of the aviation security, Narcotic Control Commission (NACOC), National Security and the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB).

He stated that “no contraband or unlawful commodities” were found on the aircraft.

Falsehood
According to him, the former Deputy Minister for Education has failed to assist in investigation after making the wild allegations purposed to “undermine the confidence the people of Ghana have in this government”.

“The claims by Rev Ntim Fordjour are false. He cannot prove it and that’s why he is running away from investigative bodies. He is unable to provide any shred of evidence to back his claim…Rev Ntim Fordjour has failed to honour invitations extended to him by the National Security because he does not have a shred of evidence.”

Felix on that note condemned the action of the lawmaker as “political obscurantism”.

He believes it is aimed at misinforming people, misleading the public and bringing the government’s name into disrepute.

First Aircraft
Per information put out by the Spokesperson of the President, the first plane with registration number CVK7037 and landing permit GAF/TMAO/25/7863 landed at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) on 12th March 2025 from Luanda in Angola.

The said plane was destined for Europe and per regulations of the EU, had to undergo scanning and screening procedure RA3- a service offered at the KIA.

He explained that the plane stayed in Ghana for 13 days after it developed some Engine blade faults and severe oil leakage.

“For that reason, a replacement aircraft URCEZ with registration number CEK7007 was brought in to evacuate the cargo. The damaged aircraft remained here for 13 days between 12 March and 25 March.”

Second Flight
According to him, the second plane, a Hawker 800 XP with registration number N823AM with lading number GÀF TWXR 252604 OFAA 0297/25 was an air ambulance which landed at the KIA Gran Canaria, Las Palmas in Spain having gone through Luanda.

“It was also here for a technical stop ie roof welling and crew rest which is perfectly legitimate activity…While it was landing in Ghana, it developed a tyre burst and some other difficulty with its landing gear and therefore needed to remain here to be serviced so another aircraft with registration number N864 arrived on 22 March with tyres and flight engineers from Luanda to replace the damaged tyres of the aircraft.”

After the necessary repairs were done, it departed on 25 March, he said.

Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini