Govt spokesperson dismisses drug claims over KIA aircraft landings

The Minister of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has dismissed fresh allegations of drug trafficking linked to recent aircraft landings at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), insisting that the incidents were technical and logistical in nature.

His comments come in response to the renewed claims by the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, who maintained that the aircraft in question were involved in transporting narcotics and cash.

In a series of Facebook posts on Sunday, April 6, 2025, Mr Kwakye Ofosu, who is also the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese in the Central Region, offered detailed explanations and visual evidence to counter the claims.

Recall

Rev. Fordjour, who is also the New Patriotic Party MP for Assin South also in the Central Region, at a news conference held at the Parliament House last Tuesday, alleged that two flights, namely AirMed flight N823AM and Cavok Air private jet, Antonov An-12B, landed on the tarmac of KIA last month, from Gran Canaria; an island of Spain, and departed to the same Gran Canaria days after their arrival.

He called on the National Security to, as a matter of urgency, make public the content of cargo suspected to be cocaine and cash, transported into the country by the two suspicious flights.

President’s directive

President John Mahama has also directed a full-scale investigation into the allegations of suspected drug trafficking and money laundering at the KIA since the Minority news conference.

In a statement shared on his social media page, President Mahama assured the public that his government took such allegations seriously.

He, therefore, instructed key investigative agencies—including the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC), the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, the National Investigations Bureau (NIB), and the National Security Coordinator—to collaborate fully with the MP in probing the matter.

Explanation

Mr Kwakye Ofosu, giving details on the Air Med aircraft that recently landed at KIA, said the aircraft in question had suffered damage to its landing gear tyres, necessitating repairs that extended its stay at the airport.

He showed pictures of engineers fixing damaged tyres on the landing gear of the Air Med Aircraft at the KIA.

He explained that the damaged parts and engineers were brought in by a different aircraft that was the reason for the aricraft stayed for five days.

He also addressed suspicions surrounding a Cavok cargo flight, providing video footage showing a security inspection upon arrival at KIA.

“This is actual footage of the inspection of the Cavok flight by security officials at the Kotoka International Airport on arrival, which shows it carried a cargo of oil drills and oil in jerrycans,” he stated, adding: “Don’t let anyone lie to you and shift the goal post when pressed for evidence.”

Mr Kwakye Ofosu urged the public to disregard what he described as deliberate misinformation and stressed the government’s commitment to transparency in matters involving national security and airport operations.

The clarification is the latest in a series of rebuttals from government officials following opposition calls for investigations into suspicious aircraft activity at the country’s main airport.