Solomon Owusu, the Communications Director of the United Party, has said there are security implications when President John Mahama uses a commercial flight.
The United Party man raised concerns about the potential security implications if the president were to use commercial flights for official travel instead of his brother’s jet, due to the unavailability of Ghana’s presidential jet.
Solomon Owusu, however, defended President John Dramani Mahama over criticisms from the NPP regarding his use of a private jet belonging to his brother for official travels.
He argued that the NPP under Akufo-Addo rented a jet even when the presidential jet was available, but in this case, the presidential jet is unavailable.
Speaking on Onua TV on March 14, 2026, Solomon Owusu stated, “The NPP has no moral right to speak because anytime they do, people get angry. I would have been the first person to criticise President Mahama if the presidential jet was available and he wasn’t using it”.
“The reason some of us criticised Akufo-Addo when he was renting a private jet was that at the time, the Falcon was available. Even the Liberian president rented it for his travels, and so if the Falcon is available and you proceed to rent, then we have every right to criticise you,” he stated.
Solomon Owusu explained, “What we are discussing today is not as if the Falcon is available and the president has decided not to use it. The Falcon is unavailable, and so we have to separate the issues for people to know the available options”.
“When Mahama picks a commercial flight, what are the security implications?” he questioned.
“One of the things that caused the NPP’s loss was not propaganda but their actions, like the National Cathedral construction, among other things,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary to the President, John Dramani Mahama, Dr Callistus Mahama, has revealed that Commercial travel, which some understandably suggest as a simple alternative, is also not always feasible for a sitting President.
Dr Callistus Mahama detailed that Commercial travel is not feasible when the travel involves long-haul intercontinental engagements or tightly scheduled diplomatic commitments.
He further, however, alluded to the importance of public perception, adding that even when a practical solution exists, leadership must remain attentive to how the public understands it.
He revealed that once Ghana’s aircraft are delivered, President Mahama will no longer use the private jet belonging to his brother, Ibrahim Mahama, for official travel.
In an opinion piece, Dr Callistus Mahama stated, “Presidential travel is unlike any other form of travel. It is not merely a journey from one city to another. It carries with it layers of responsibility—security protocols, diplomatic engagements, communication systems, and the simple but critical requirement that the Head of State remain able to function as the executive authority of the republic even while thousands of kilometres away from Accra.
In Ghana’s case, the challenge has been compounded by the current condition and limitations of the state’s available aircraft. Some of the platforms historically used for presidential or governmental travel were never originally acquired for long-range diplomatic missions. Others face technical and operational constraints that make certain journeys impractical or inadvisable.
Commercial travel, which some understandably suggest as a simple alternative, is also not always feasible for a sitting President—particularly when the travel involves long-haul intercontinental engagements or tightly scheduled diplomatic commitments. Beyond the obvious security considerations, such travel introduces logistical complexities that can make it difficult for a Head of State to carry out official duties during transit.
None of these realities erases the importance of public perception. And here lies the delicate point: even when a practical solution exists, leadership must remain attentive to how the public understands it.
Dr Callistus Mahama further revealed that Ghana will receive additional aircraft for the presidential fleet by November 2026.
According to Dr Callistus Mahama, one of the aircraft will be dedicated to the President’s travel.
He added, “Many of the state institutions the President inherited—including key operational capacities within the security services—require rebuilding, re-equipping, and careful reform. The Ghana Armed Forces, which play an important role in state aviation, are part of that ongoing process of renewal.
Plans are already underway to strengthen Ghana’s presidential air transport capability as part of the broader retooling of the Armed Forces. By November this year, the country is expected to have additional aircraft within the presidential fleet, including one dedicated to the President’s travel.
When that happens, Ghana will once again have the capacity to rely fully on its own state assets for the safe and efficient transportation of the Head of State. It will also remove the need for the kind of temporary arrangements that have generated the current discussion”.
Watch the video below:
The NPP has no moral right to criticize John Mahama for using his brother’s private jet. The party once rented a jet even when the presidential jet was available, but in this case the presidential jet is unavailable – Solomon Owusu#OnuaTV #KaWaSemYie pic.twitter.com/MsDRpwWunH
— #OnuaTV (@OnuaTV) March 14, 2026