The AirMed aircraft’s tyre being repaired
The Ranking Member of the Defence and Interior Committee of Parliament, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, has dismissed claims made by the Spokesperson for the President and Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, regarding two suspicious flights that arrived in Ghana from Gran Canaria, Spain, in March.
Rev. Fordjour described a widely circulated video showing the aircraft at the Kotoka International Airport as potentially “staged” to mislead the public, calling for an investigation by the relevant authorities.
In a detailed interview on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana with host Paul Adom-Otchere, the Assin South Member of Parliament (MP) presented flight itinerary logs and activity records to counter the government’s explanation that the aircraft in question were in Ghana for maintenance and certification—not for any covert cargo or illicit operations.
Questioning the circumstances under which the video—featuring a group of inspectors examining a grounded aircraft—was filmed, Rev. Fordjour emphasised that global flight tracking data and maintenance records contradict the government’s narrative.
“When you see that video, you could see clearly a staged thing,” he said. “It was with an airline. Why did they film it?”
He raised concerns over the unusually large number of inspectors—over a dozen—seen in dark vests inspecting the plane, suggesting prior knowledge or intelligence may have prompted their assembly.
“In normal practice—you [referring to Paul] have been a board member of Ghana Airports Company—you know how aviation works. When an airline lands, whether for maintenance or as a replacement, do we normally film it?” he asked rhetorically.
He stressed that such scenes are not standard practice in the aviation industry unless a specific incident is anticipated. “Is it a standard practice to film planes arriving?” he reiterated, hinting at possible orchestration.
Government Communications
Mr. Kwakye Ofosu had earlier claimed during a press briefing that an AirMed air ambulance aircraft landed in Accra, developed a fault, and was serviced with replacement parts brought in by another AirMed aircraft.
He argued that the aircraft’s prolonged stay and subsequent activity were routine, dismissing questions raised by the Minority MP of secretive activities as unfounded.
Rebuttal
Rev. Fordjour countered these claims with data from FlightAware, a real-time global flight tracker.
According to him, the first AirMed aircraft, registration number N823AM, arrived from Gran Canaria on March 20 at 9:02 AM GMT and departed five days later, returning to Gran Canaria—refuting any suggestion it was en route elsewhere.
He further stated there was no evidence of maintenance activity to support Mr. Kwakye Ofosu’s timeline or claims.
“The same flight Kwakye Ofosu refers to did arrive in Ghana and returned to Gran Canaria. But there is no record showing it was bound for another destination or that it transported or received any parts,” Rev. Fordjour said.
The second aircraft, another AirMed plane with registration number N864AM, arrived from Gran Canaria on March 22.
Rev. Fordjour noted that this aircraft’s activity also fails to support claims of a spare parts delivery.
“AirMed is an air ambulance operator. These aircraft are not licensed to carry cargo like spare parts or tires, and there’s no cargo compartment onboard. Any such action would breach federal aviation regulations,” he stated.
He added that the aircraft’s travel itinerary contradicted the government’s timeline.
Records shown during the broadcast indicated that the plane departed Accra on the same day it arrived—March 22—proceeding to Luanda, Angola, then Lanseria, and finally to a location in Zimbabwe.
“If it came to deliver parts and stayed until March 25 as claimed, then how did it make all these stops starting on the 22nd?” Rev. Fordjour questioned.
The discussion took a sharper turn as MP Fordjour raised concerns about potential violations of international aviation laws, suggesting that if any undeclared or unauthorised cargo was involved, the Minister for Government Communications may have inadvertently implicated the airline.
He concluded by revealing that a second part of their exposé will focus on official maintenance logs of the aircraft, further disputing claims of mechanical faults and repairs.
“This is about evidence. Anyone watching can verify this data themselves,” Rev. Fordjour emphasised. “If Mr. Kwakye Ofosu continues to stand by his claims, he must explain the discrepancies.”
The Ranking Member promised a follow-up presentation that will “open the maintenance history of the two flights for all Ghanaians to see the truth.”
By Ernest Kofi Adu