The Member of Parliament for Walewale, Abdul Kabiru Tiah Mahama, has accused President John Dramani Mahama of breaching the Code of Conduct for government appointees by using a private jet owned by his brother for official international travel.
Speaking to JoyNews in Parliament, the New Patriotic Party legislator said the arrangement raises serious ethical concerns and creates what he described as a “palpable conflict of interest.”
The President is currently on a trip to South Korea and is reported to have travelled on a private aircraft owned by businessman Ibrahim Mahama, who is the President’s brother.
According to Dr Tiah Mahama, the decision contradicts the ethical standards set out in the government’s own code of conduct for public officials.
“The potential conflict of using a private person’s jet for official trips is apparent,” he said.
“And now you are not using just any private person — you are using the president’s brother. The palpable conflict of interest is there.”
The Walewale MP argued that public officials, particularly the President, must avoid situations that could raise questions about ethical conduct or perceived undue advantage.
“If a president must live beyond reproach, people should not see any semblance of unethical consideration in your behaviour,” he stated.
“The fact that the president is using his brother’s aircraft puts him right at the centre of a conflict situation.”
He also pointed to past criticism by members of the current administration when they were in opposition regarding the use of aircraft for presidential travel.
According to him, earlier debates focused on whether Ghana’s presidential jet was serviceable and whether the government at the time should rely on commercial flights.
“Down the line, the president is found to be doing the very thing they spoke against,” he said.
Dr Tiah Mahama further argued that there were alternative travel options available to the President.
“There is no reason whatsoever. Even if there was a need for him to travel, he could have used a commercial flight, even business class, to ensure comfort,” he added.
The MP is therefore calling for the practice to be halted, warning that such arrangements could undermine public confidence and contradict the ethical standards expected of government officials.
