Ghana’s Parliamentary Minority has petitioned the diplomatic community to aid investigations into three “suspicious flights” that landed at Kotoka International Airport in March 2025.
In a letter dated April 8 and addressed to the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Lebanese Ambassador Maher Kheir, the Minority urged envoys to help verify whether two AirMed aircraft and a Cavok Air cargo jet carried illicit drugs or foreign currency into the country.
The appeal follows a press conference on April 1, during which Minority members voiced concerns over national security implications. President John Dramani Mahama subsequently ordered state agencies to investigate, but the Minister of Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, dismissed the allegations as unfounded and the probe unnecessary. The Minority’s petition, however, argues that official explanations conflict with independent flight‑tracking data.
“Contrary to the minister’s claims, our independent tracking confirms that the two AirMed flights flew directly from Gran Canaria to Accra,” the petition states. It further notes that no records show the Cavok Air jet entering Ghanaian airspace on the dates cited by government spokesmen. The Minority insists these discrepancies warrant external assistance.
Citing Ghana’s obligations under the UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime, the petition underscores the duty of all signatories to investigate and prosecute trafficking and money‑laundering offences. It also references domestic laws such as the Narcotics Control Commission Act, 2020, and the Anti‑Money Laundering Act, 2020, to stress that Ghana’s legal framework demands rigorous inquiry.
The petition outlines five specific requests: sharing intelligence from foreign security services; fostering cooperation between international and Ghanaian law enforcement; supporting Parliament’s oversight role; advocating for a Commission of Inquiry under Article 278 of the Constitution; and ensuring protection for whistle‑blowers, notably MP Rev. John Ntim Fordjour. The Minority argues that without such support, Ghana risks being viewed as a haven for transnational crime.
This call for international collaboration comes amid growing public scrutiny and media coverage. Independent fact‑checkers have lent credence to some of the Minority’s claims, particularly regarding flight origins. While the Deputy Director‑General of the Narcotics Control Commission, Alexander Twum Barimah, has urged full cooperation with investigators, public confidence remains fragile in the absence of a unified government response.
The Minority’s appeal highlights the broader challenge of safeguarding national security in an era of increasingly sophisticated illicit networks. By seeking diplomatic backing, Parliament’s Minority aims not only to uncover the truth behind the Kotoka landings but also to reinforce Ghana’s commitment to transparency and the rule of law. As the investigation unfolds, the government’s willingness to embrace external scrutiny may prove pivotal in restoring public trust and deterring future attempts to exploit the country’s aviation gateways.
