A heated debate has emerged over President John Dramani Mahama’s recent trip to Japan and Singapore, following allegations that he traveled on a private jet.
The President departed Accra on Sunday, August 17, 2025, for a state visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and exploring investment opportunities. However, opposition MP Vincent Ekow Assafuahclaimed Mahama flew on a private Bombardier Challenger 605, registration M-BAEP sparking controversy and public speculation.
Flight Data Tells a Different Story
Flight-tracking records contradict the claims. According to FlightRadar, the Challenger 605 in question did indeed leave Accra on August 17, but its destination was Berlin, Germany, where it has remained since that date. The aircraft was never recorded flying to Asia, undermining the allegation that the President used it for his trip.
Government spokesperson and MP Felix Kwakye Ofosu dismissed the claims, clarifying that President Mahama flew on a commercial Emirates service rather than a private jet. Independent flight data appears to support this account.
The Emirates Connection
Emirates operates a daily return service between Accra (ACC) and Dubai (DXB). On August 17, the scheduled flight EK 788 departed Accra at 6:16 p.m. and arrived in Dubai at 6:16 a.m. the next morning.
Two days later, on August 19, President Mahama was publicly sighted in Tokyo after disembarking Emirates A380 Flight EK 318, which operates the Dubai–Tokyo Narita (NRT) route. Records confirm that EK 318 departed from Dubai, meaning the President must have first connected through Dubai on EK 788 before continuing to Japan.
Why the Controversy?
The uproar has political undertones. During the Akufo-Addo administration, then-opposition figures including Mahama’s party heavily criticized the government for chartering private jets instead of using Ghana’s presidential aircraft, the Dassault Falcon 900EX. At the time, they argued such hires were wasteful.
That history appears to have fueled skepticism around Mahama’s current travel, even without evidence.
The Verdict
Available data points consistently to commercial travel:
• M-BAEP never flew to Tokyo or Singapore, remaining in Berlin instead.
• EK 788 departed Accra the very day the President was scheduled to leave.
• EK 318 later carried him into Tokyo from Dubai.
Together, the records indicate that President Mahama traveled on Emirates commercial flights, not on a private jet, for his official visit to Asia.
