- BY Issah Olegor
After months of technical challenges and public speculation, the state presidential aircraft — the Falcon 900 EX Easy — is expected to return home soon following comprehensive maintenance and repair works in France.
The Deputy Minister of Defence, Ernest Brogya Genfi, made the disclosure on Thursday, November 6, 2025, during a parliamentary sitting in Accra.
According to Genfi, the aircraft, which was ferried to Dassault Falcon Services in Le Bourget, France, on March 11, 2025, underwent a mandatory 24-month and 16,000-flight-hour inspection.
This process is a crucial airworthiness requirement meant to ensure the aircraft’s safety, efficiency, and compliance with international aviation maintenance standards.
He revealed that during the inspection, significant corrosion was detected in the aircraft’s fuel tanks, a defect that delayed its scheduled return. The corrosion, which reportedly affected several sections of the fuel system, required detailed repair work to restore the aircraft’s integrity. “These corrosion issues in the fuel tanks have since been resolved,” the Deputy Minister assured the House.
However, he added that while resolving the corrosion, technicians encountered another challenge — fuel leakages from the right-hand wing tanks. The subsequent repair and reinstallation of the lower panel beneath the wing prolonged the servicing period. Dassault Aviation, the aircraft’s manufacturer, later invited the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the Falcon wing to conduct an independent assessment. This step, Genfi explained, ensured that the repairs were carried out to the highest technical standard.
“The OEM conducted an on-site evaluation and provided technical recommendations to expedite the reinstallation process. The right-hand wing repairs have now been completed,” he said. Following these rectifications, the aircraft successfully passed a fuel tank leak test, underwent its third engine ground run, and received a fresh coat of paint on the lower wing panels.
He stated that the final phase — an acceptance flight test — would be conducted before the aircraft’s return to Ghana. Once the test is completed and the aircraft is cleared for operation, it will be flown back to Accra for official use.
The Deputy Minister’s update came in response to a question from the Member of Parliament for Jaman South, Kwadwo Damoah, who sought clarity on the long delay in returning the presidential jet.
The issue has generated considerable public debate over the months, with some critics questioning the government’s handling of the aircraft’s maintenance process and cost implications.
The Falcon 900 EX Easy, acquired during former President John Agyekum Kufuor’s administration in 2008, serves as Ghana’s main presidential transport aircraft. It has previously undergone several maintenance checks abroad — most notably in France, where its manufacturer, Dassault Aviation, provides specialized technical services.
