The Minority in Parliament has formally petitioned the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, H.E. Maher Kheir, Ambassador of Lebanon to Ghana, seeking international intervention in the ongoing controversy over suspicious flights from Gran Canaria that landed at Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
In a statement issued on April 8, 2025, the Minority urged the Diplomatic Corps to support Ghanaian authorities in investigating allegations that two AirMed flights and a Cavok Air cargo flight transported illicit drugs and money into the country.
The request follows concerns raised by the Minority during a press conference on April 1, 2025, where they called for an investigation into the matter, citing potential national security risks.
Despite President John Dramani Mahama’s directive for state investigative bodies to probe the situation, the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Hon. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, dismissed the claims, labeling the investigation a “waste of time.”
However, the Minority contends that their independent checks revealed the AirMed flights arrived directly from Gran Canaria, not Luanda as claimed by the Minister.
They also raised doubts about the Cavok aircraft’s flight history, with no evidence to support its reported entry into Ghana on the specified dates.
“The questions surrounding these flights warrant thorough, credible investigations,” the Minority’s statement emphasized. They highlighted Ghana’s obligations under international conventions, such as the UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime, to combat drug trafficking and money laundering.
The Minority also referenced Ghana’s recent legislative measures, including the Narcotics Control Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1019), and the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020 (Act 1044), stressing the importance of enforcing the country’s anti-narcotics and anti-money laundering laws.
As part of their petition, the Minority proposed five key interventions for the Diplomatic Community:
- Share intelligence on the aircraft and flights involved with Ghanaian security authorities.
- Facilitate collaboration between foreign and Ghanaian security agencies in ongoing and future investigations.
- Assist the Ghanaian state, particularly Parliament, in safeguarding the country’s reputation from becoming a drug transit point.
- Urge the government to establish a Commission of Inquiry under Article 278 of the Constitution to investigate the matter thoroughly and impartially.
- Show support for the independence of Parliament and the safety of whistleblowers, including Hon. John Ntim Fordjour and other MPs involved in the oversight process.
The Minority’s appeal underscores the need for international cooperation to protect Ghana’s integrity and to address the growing threat of transnational organized crime.
