According to by GhanaWeb, the Minister of Defence, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, has responded to criticisms raised by Old Tafo lawmaker, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, regarding the Vice President’s recent return from the United Kingdom on a chartered flight.
On May 22, 2025, Assafuah took to Facebook to share details of Vice President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang’s journey, including the aircraft’s origin, schedule, and duration.
He claimed that the flight, operated by VistaJet 836, took off from Farnborough in the UK and landed in Accra later that day.
His post questioned the financial implications of using a private aircraft for the Vice President’s travel and demanded greater transparency from the government.
In reaction to the post, Dr. Boamah criticized the former administration led by the New Patriotic Party (NPP), of which Assafuah is a member, for the poor condition of the country’s official presidential aircraft.
According to the minister, the aircraft — the Falcon — was so poorly maintained under the previous government that its fuel tank suffered corrosion and other technical faults.
“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,” he said.
Dr. Boamah explained that the aircraft has since been taken abroad for comprehensive maintenance and is currently out of service.
He indicated that the repair work is extensive and may take up to three months before the plane is ready for any official assignments.
The Vice President returned to Ghana after a period of medical leave in the UK.
Her arrival was marked by a warm reception at the airport, led by President John Dramani Mahama and First Lady Lordina Mahama.
Other dignitaries present included Chief of Staff Julius Debrah, the Vice President’s Chief of Staff Alex Segbefia, religious leaders, and members of her family.