ON JM TRAVELS, DZATA PRIVATE JET, THE PROPAGANDA, AND THE TRUTH

Since His Excellency John Mahama assumed office as President, a deliberate propaganda campaign has been waged against him.
Fortunately, these campaigns are based on baseless lies, lacking any shred of truth.
I’ve come across numerous fabricated social media posts attempting to paint President Mahama as extravagant, contradicting his principles when in opposition.
Initially, they claimed he purchased a bulletproof vehicle with state funds, even before a substantive Finance Minister had been appointed and approved by Parliament. However, it was later proven that the vehicle in question was the same one he used during his campaign. When evidence of this was presented, the accusers quickly backtracked.
The latest round of misinformation involves the use of his brother’s private jet, DZATA, for his official travels.
The Claims
Certain individuals allege that “H.E. John Dramani Mahama travels abroad in a private jet, costing the state $17,000 (GHS 272,000) per hour—amounting to GHS 13,056,000 for a two-day trip.” This falsehood has been widely spread, particularly by NPP supporters.
The Facts
Yes, President Mahama has used his brother’s private jet (DZATA) for trips outside Ghana, specifically to Senegal and Gambia. However, these critics conveniently ignore the fact that he also used this same private jet during his eight years in opposition for both domestic and international travels.
To clarify: the state has not spent a pesewa on renting this private jet since President Mahama took office.
Why the President is Using His Brother’s Private Jet?
Upon assuming office, President Mahama requested a detailed report from the Ghana Armed Forces’ communications squadron unit—responsible for the presidential fleet—on the status of the Dassault Falcon 900EX (9G-EXE), the official presidential jet.
As of now, this report has not been presented.
It’s worth noting that the last time the presidential jet was used was in October 2023 by former President Akufo-Addo for a trip to the USA. Afterward, the then-Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, informed Ghanaians that the jet was in Paris for servicing. This was also the reason given for the frequent use of chartered flights by the former President.
President Mahama continues to use his brother’s private jet because the Ghana Air Force has yet to provide a comprehensive report on the status of the presidential jet. Once this report is submitted and the jet is deemed operational, he will undoubtedly use it for official travels.
What This Means
All trips undertaken using DZATA have incurred no cost to the state in terms of hiring of the jet.
It’s time to separate facts from propaganda. Let us not allow deliberate fabrications to distort the truth.
Nii Amarh Amarteifio
Political & Branding Analyst
Accra.