The Minister of Defence, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, says Ghana’s presidential jet has been grounded due to extensive corrosion and remains unfit for service.

Speaking at a press conference dubbed “Government Accountability Series” in Accra on Monday, (July 21, 2025), Dr Omane Boamah explained that the Falcon 900EX aircraft, acquired in 2010, has been out of use for several months owing to persistent structural issues discovered during maintenance.

“It is sad to note that for some time now, whenever the aircraft goes for either maintenance, repair, or overhaul, the date that is scheduled for its return to Ghana keeps changing,” he said.

According to Dr Boamah, independent technicians handling the repairs have confirmed that the jet is “heavily corroded.” He stressed that the diagnosis did not come from the Ghana Air Force but from third-party assessors abroad.

“The presidential jet is sick. It is heavily corroded, and this is not the Air Force itself saying it. These are third independent parties putting this out when it was sent away,” he stated.

Dr Boamah added that despite the jet’s condition, the Mahama administration would not fall back on the use of rented luxury aircraft for presidential travel.

“That does not in any way justify the hiring or renting of luxurious aircraft persistently—no way,” he said. “President Mahama’s government engages in austerity.”

He explained that any future decisions on presidential air travel would be linked to broader discussions on retooling the Ghana Armed Forces, and would be based strictly on necessity.

“When we are considering the air assets of the Air Force, Navy and Army, the right decisions will be taken so that we can make do with it,” Dr Boamah said.

He disclosed that a detailed assessment conducted by the military had placed the immediate logistical needs of the Armed Forces at around US$1 billion. A proposal to that effect has already been submitted to the National Security Council, and President John Dramani Mahama has begun steps to address some of the most urgent gaps.

The prolonged absence of the Falcon jet has drawn public attention in recent months, particularly in light of past controversies surrounding presidential travel expenses.

Dr Boamah did not give a timeline for the jet’s return. He said repair deadlines had been missed on several occasions, making it difficult to project a specific date.

“I don’t want to put the date out because I’ve been given too many dates,” he said. “We are hoping that this date that has been given, we will see the Falcon here in Ghana.”

The Minister said the government remains committed to prudent spending in the defence sector, even as operational pressures continue to mount.