BY Daniel Bampoe
President John Dramani Mahama arrived in Seoul, South Korea, on March 10, 2026, beginning a four-to-five-day working visit aimed at deepening diplomatic and economic cooperation between Ghana and the Asian nation.
The trip forms part of a broader diplomatic push by the Mahama administration to expand the engagement with Asian economies in areas such as trade, investment, and technology partnerships.
However, the President’s arrival in the South Korean capital quickly reignited a heated political storm back home after reports and widely circulated social media footage suggested that he travelled aboard a private jet linked to his brother, businessman Ibrahim Mahama.
The aircraft involved is widely believed to be part of Ibrahim Mahama’s private aviation fleet branded under the “Dzata” name — a term meaning lion in the local language and associated with the businessman’s enterprises.
The jet is reportedly a Bombardier Global 6500, a long-range luxury aircraft valued at between $56 million and $70 million.
The use of the plane is generating storm.
Diplomatic Mission To Asia
President Mahama’s visit to Seoul is intended to strengthen bilateral relations between Ghana and South Korea while exploring new opportunities in trade, industrial development, and technological cooperation.
The trip is also expected to include meetings with government officials, business leaders, and investors aimed at positioning Ghana as a destination for Asian investment.
The NDC says the engagement forms part of a wider foreign policy strategy to deepen the partnerships beyond traditional Western allies and strengthen economic ties with rapidly growing Asian economies.
Debate Over Mode Of Travel
The President’s travel arrangements have nevertheless overshadowed the diplomatic significance of the visit. The use of the “Dzata” jet has triggered criticism from members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), who argue that the arrangement raises questions about transparency and ethical governance.
The issue has been particularly directed at the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who previously led a sustained campaign against former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo over the use of chartered jets during international travels.
While in opposition, Okudzeto Ablakwa had repeatedly argued that the official presidential jet was in “pristine condition” and fit for purpose, maintaining that chartering expensive private jets constituted an unnecessary burden on the national purse. At the height of that campaign, he even declared that he would resign if an administration of the NDC ever resorted to hiring private jets for presidential travel.
Critics now argue that his silence regarding Mahama’s use of his brother’s aircraft represents a contradiction of those earlier positions, with some calling on the minister to honour his previous pledge to step down.
Government Explanation
Government officials have defended the travel arrangement, insisting that the use of Ibrahim Mahama’s aircraft does not impose any financial burden on the state.
According to explanations from the presidency and government communicators, the aircraft was made available without charge, making it fundamentally different from the chartered jets used during the previous administration, which critics claimed cost as much as $18,000 per hour.
Officials also point to operational limitations of Ghana’s official presidential jet, the Dassault Falcon 900EX operated by the Ghana Air Force.
The aircraft reportedly lacks the range required for certain long-distance intercontinental flights such as the journey to South Korea and has recently undergone extensive repairs and safety checks.
In addition, government sources say that on some occasions host countries assist in facilitating presidential travel arrangements when they are eager to secure the participation of visiting leaders at high-level events.
Previous Commercial Travel
The NDC members have also cited instances where President Mahama opted for commercial flights instead of private travel. During a previous visit to Japan, for example, the President reportedly travelled on a commercial flight operated by Emirates in an effort to reduce costs.
These examples, supporters say, demonstrate that the administration has not adopted a consistent reliance on private aircraft.
Ibrahim Mahama’s New Aircraft
The debate intensified earlier in March when news broke that Ibrahim Mahama had acquired the new Bombardier Global 6500 jet, reportedly delivered to Accra on March 3, 2026 after being ordered in 2024.
Images of the aircraft bearing the distinctive grey-and-white “Dzata” branding quickly circulated online, drawing mixed reactions from the public.
While supporters hailed the purchase as evidence of the success of Ghanaian entrepreneurship, critics questioned the timing of the acquisition amid economic challenges facing the country.
Ibrahim Mahama later announced that his previous aircraft, a Bombardier Challenger 604 that had also been part of his aviation fleet, would be converted into an emergency air ambulance for national use.
Political Reactions
Opposition figures have seized on the jet acquisition to challenge President Mahama’s criticism of the previous administration’s economic management.
Members of the NPP have publicly questioned the source of Ibrahim Mahama’s wealth and argued that the display of such luxury assets sends the wrong signal at a time when many Ghanaians are grappling with economic pressures.
Some critics have also suggested that funds used to purchase the aircraft could have been invested in national priorities, such as supporting cocoa farmers or addressing economic hardship.
At the same time, supporters of the government argue that Ibrahim Mahama’s private wealth is separate from state resources and that his businesses — including major industrial and mining service companies — have contributed significantly to Ghana’s economy.
Wider Governance Debate
Beyond partisan politics, the controversy has also triggered broader discussions about governance standards and presidential travel protocols.
Some commentators and journalists argue that even if the arrangement does not cost the state money, the optics of a sitting president travelling in a private jet owned by a close family member could create uncomfortable perceptions about transparency and state protocol.
Others have raised security concerns, questioning whether privately owned aircraft used for presidential travel are subjected to the same rigorous security vetting required for official state assets.
