By Grace Zigah
The Office of the Vice President has responded strongly to criticism surrounding Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang’s return to Ghana from the United Kingdom, with her Press Secretary, Ama Pratt, describing the allegations of chartering a private jet as “misplaced and irrelevant.”
In a heated response during an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem over the weekend, Ama Pratt condemned what she called “needless politicization” of the Vice President’s return flight, stressing that the focus should rather be on her recovery from a recent medical condition.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang had reportedly traveled to the UK on medical leave several weeks ago.
Her return to Ghana has stirred controversy, especially among political opponents who claim she may have used a private jet—an accusation led by Vincent Ekow Assafuah, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Old Tafo.
But Ama Pratt, who serves as both spokesperson and press secretary to the Vice President, dismissed the claims.
She maintained that the Vice President’s travel was arranged through the usual official channels and emphasized that no public confirmation exists of a private jet being used.
“I’m not even sure she came on a private jet,” Pratt told listeners. “All we know is that the normal travel protocols were followed. And even if she did, so what? She was sick. She went for treatment. She’s back healthy and ready to serve. Is that not what matters?”
The spokesperson questioned the logic behind turning the Vice President’s recovery into a political debate, especially when previous administrations had expressed interest in acquiring more luxurious aircraft.
“We all know what’s on record,” Pratt said. “Some of those accusing her today once defended the purchase of jets fitted with luxury bathrooms and lounges. But now, a woman returns from medical leave on a flight—and suddenly the moral compass shifts?”
Pratt went further, suggesting that the public outcry had been deliberately fueled to deflect attention from the Vice President’s return to active duty, which she described as a positive development for national leadership.
“She’s back. She’s healthy. She’s ready to work. That should be the headline,” she said.
“The same critics who once wanted jets with bathtubs are now angry that the Vice President used a plane without one. What did they expect her to come with—an ambulance from Heathrow?”
Addressing broader public concerns, Pratt clarified that unless there was proven damage or malfunction of the existing presidential aircraft, there was no breach in protocol or justification for criticism.
“So far, nobody has shown that there’s anything wrong with the official presidential jet. Until then, all these accusations are irrelevant. The conversation should be about her service, not the plane she returned on,” she said.
The Vice President’s return has since shifted attention back to her role in government as the country prepares for crucial economic decisions in the wake of the 2025 mid-year budget review.
