NPP lawmaker says president’s travel arrangement raises conflict-of-interest concerns.
The Member of Parliament for Walewale, Abdul Kabiru Tiah Mahama, has accused President John Dramani Mahama of breaching the government’s Code of Conduct for public officials following reports that he used a private jet owned by his brother for an official trip abroad.
Speaking to journalists in Parliament, the opposition lawmaker argued that the arrangement creates what he described as a clear conflict of interest, particularly because the aircraft belongs to businessman Ibrahim Mahama, the president’s sibling.
According to him, public officials—especially the president—must avoid situations that could raise ethical questions or give the appearance of undue advantage. He stressed that the use of a relative’s private asset for official government travel undermines the standards outlined in the administration’s own code of conduct.
The Walewale MP insisted that even if private travel arrangements were necessary, alternative options such as commercial flights could have been used to avoid any perception of impropriety.
The criticism comes as President Mahama is reported to have travelled to South Korea on official business using the aircraft owned by his brother.
However, government officials have pushed back against the claims. Minister of State in charge of Government Communications Felix Kwakye Ofosu has defended the decision, explaining that the use of the private jet is only temporary due to the lack of a reliable state aircraft for presidential travel.
The issue has since sparked political debate, with critics questioning the ethics of the arrangement while government representatives maintain that it is a practical solution until a dependable presidential aircraft becomes available.
