Samuel Abu Jinapor
The Minority Caucus in Parliament has petitioned the diplomatic community in Ghana to intervene in what it describes as a troubling and unresolved scandal involving two aircraft suspected of transporting illicit goods into the country.
The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abu Jinapor, disclosed in a statement that he had written to the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Lebanese Ambassador to Ghana, Maher Kheir, requesting diplomatic engagement on the matter.
The request follows a recent press conference held by the Minority on April 1 and subsequent media engagements, during which it raised alarm over the arrival of AirMed and Cavok Air flights at Kotoka International Airport (KIA) from Gran Canaria.
The Minority alleged that the flights carried suspected illicit cargo, including unaccounted goods and possibly money, and warned that the issue could have far-reaching implications for the country’s national security and international reputation.
President John Dramani Mahama had initially responded to the concerns raised by ordering state investigative bodies to probe the matter.
Subsequently, the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, dismissed the allegations, describing them as “infantile lies” and “waste of time”.
Mr. Jinapor said the subsequent public remarks by the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications have cast doubt on the government’s commitment to a full investigation.
According to the Ranking Member, the minister’s dismissal of the allegations as baseless and the characterisation of the investigation as a “waste of time,” suggest the President’s directive was not meant to be taken seriously.
Mr. Jinapor expressed concern that even before investigations could properly begin, efforts were already being made to downplay or discredit the claims.
He noted that independent checks have now verified that the AirMed flights did indeed arrive from Gran Canaria, contrary to the minister’s assertion that they came from Luanda.
Additionally, he said the activity logs of the Cavok flights remain questionable, with no evidence to confirm their presence in Ghana on the dates cited by government officials.
He explained that the Minority’s letter to the diplomatic corps was meant to urge the international community to work with Ghana’s security and intelligence services to unravel the facts.
Mr. Jinapor, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Damongo, emphasised that Ghana has ratified several international treaties and conventions that commit it to fighting transnational organised crime, including drug trafficking and money laundering.
He cited domestic legislation such as the Narcotics Control Commission Act and the Anti-Money Laundering Act as proof of Ghana’s legal readiness to confront such threats, while arguing that their enforcement requires sincere investigations when suspicions arise.
The letter also pointed to the potential diplomatic and economic fallout if Ghana is perceived as a safe haven or transit point for illicit trade.
MP Jinapor stressed that only through a transparent, thorough, and internationally supported investigation can the truth be established and the country’s global standing preserved.
He further urged diplomatic actors to support the independence of Ghana’s Parliament, protect whistleblowers like the Assin South MP, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, and encourage the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry to conduct a full and impartial probe.
Staged Video
Already, 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 the video – showing the aircraft at the Kotoka International Airport, which was released by the minister to dismiss the allegations, as potentially “staged” to mislead the public.
In a detailed interview on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana with host Paul Adom-Otchere, the Assin South 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.
By Ernest Kofi Adu