BY Grace Zigah
Ghana has entered into a fresh aircraft procurement agreement with European aerospace giant Airbus, signing a contract for the supply of four helicopters to support defence, security and transport operations.
The deal, confirmed by Airbus Helicopters in January 2026, marks the company’s return to the Ghanaian market and forms part of the government’s broader defence modernisation programme outlined in the 2026 Budget Statement.
However, beyond its technical and operational significance, the new agreement has reopened public debate about the long and controversial history with Airbus-related transactions—particularly those linked to President John Dramani Mahama and the global Airbus bribery scandal that implicated Ghana more than a decade ago with Mahama in the middle of the scam.
Under the latest agreement with the Ministry of Defence, Airbus will supply four helicopters made up of two H175M helicopters, one ACH175, and one ACH160.
The cost of the deal has not been publicly disclosed by either the government or Airbus.
According to Airbus, the two H175M helicopters will be configured for multi-mission use, including troop transport, search and rescue operations, emergency medical services and disaster response.
The ACH175 and ACH160, which belong to Airbus’ corporate helicopter line, are expected to be used primarily for official and transport duties.
Airbus says the contract signals a renewed long-term partnership with Ghana, with a focus on fleet support, maintenance and operational sustainability.
The company has also described Ghana as an emerging strategic customer for Airbus helicopters in West Africa.
The helicopter purchase was foreshadowed in the 2026 Budget Statement and Economic Policy, presented to Parliament in November 2025 by Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.
In that budget, government announced a comprehensive plan to re-equip the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) with new air, naval and land assets to meet evolving security challenges.
Dr Ato Forson told Parliament that the Ghana Air Force would acquire four helicopters, one long-range aircraft and one medium-range aircraft to strengthen air mobility, surveillance and emergency response capabilities, with deliveries expected over a four-year period.
Government officials have justified the investment as necessary, citing the aging state of some existing platforms, rising regional security threats, and the need to improve the disaster response and humanitarian operations.
While the new deal focuses on helicopters, it inevitably revives memories of the past dealings with Airbus—particularly the global corruption scandal that erupted in 2020, when the UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and French authorities concluded investigations into Airbus’ worldwide bribery practices.
Court documents revealed that Airbus had paid bribes through intermediaries to secure aircraft contracts in several countries, including Ghana, between 2009 and 2015.
Ghana was identified as one of the jurisdictions where public officials were allegedly influenced during negotiations for military transport aircraft.
At the time, John Dramani Mahama was Vice President (2009–2012) and later President (2012–2017), and also served as Chairman of the Armed Forces Council, giving him oversight responsibility for defence procurement.
One of the most sensitive aspects of the Airbus scandal in Ghana involved Samuel Adam Mahama, a younger brother of John Mahama.
According to findings cited in court documents and later referenced by Ghana’s Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), Samuel Adam Mahama was identified as “Government Official 1” in the Airbus case files.
Investigators alleged that he acted as an intermediary and received payments linked to Airbus’ efforts to secure contracts for the supply of military aircraft to Ghana.
Although no criminal conviction has been secured against him in Ghana, the revelations caused significant political fallout and renewed scrutiny of defence procurement under the Mahama administration.
President John Mahama denied any personal wrongdoing and stated that he had no knowledge of, nor involvement in, any illicit payments. Nonetheless, the scandal remains one of the most prominent corruption controversies associated with his time in office.
The Airbus bribery case was linked to the acquisition of C295 military transport aircraft for the Ghana Armed Forces during the Mahama administration.
While the aircraft themselves were delivered and remain in service, the manner in which the contracts were negotiated and financed became a focal point for investigators.
The controversy contributed to growing public distrust over defence procurement processes and reinforced calls for greater transparency and parliamentary oversight of military contracts.
With the confirmation of the new Airbus helicopter contract under Mahama’s second administration, critics have questioned whether sufficient safeguards are in place to prevent a repeat of past procurement failures.
Opposition figures and civil society groups have called for full disclosure of the contract value, financing arrangements, procurement procedures and intermediaries involved.
Although the National Democratic Congress government has not indicated that the helicopter deal is linked to any of the earlier fixed-wing aircraft contracts, the historical context has made the agreement politically sensitive.
Supporters of the government argue that the current deal is driven by operational necessity and is distinct from earlier controversies, insisting that Ghana cannot abandon reputable global manufacturers because of past scandals.
They also note that Airbus has since restructured its compliance systems following the global settlement with regulators.
The renewed engagement with Airbus comes at a time when defence spending in Ghana is under intense scrutiny, especially amid economic pressures, debt challenges and public sector wage concerns.
While government maintains that strengthening air mobility and emergency response capabilities is critical to national security, critics argue that transparency must be non-negotiable given the past experiences.
