Celebrated artist Ibrahim Mahama, alongside local car sprayers, helped Ghana give one of its iconic aircraft a fresh, rebranded look for artistic purposes, transforming it into the iconic Ghana Airways plane.
The aircraft, which carried countless passengers across the world during its prime, has been repainted to preserve its legacy and celebrate its history.
Ibrahim Mahama added a playful twist to the process.
“Every object has a story to tell, more so when it’s a plane that has carried many of our people across the world when it was in its prime service. That’s memory. Most grateful to the local car sprayers we worked with to rebrand the aircraft. This process took sometime.” he wrote via X on August 29, 2025.
Over several weeks, the repainting process not only reflected the memories tied to the aircraft but also showcased the artisans’ dedication and the photographer’s playful humor, as captured in the images shared by Ibrahim Mahama.
See the images and read what happened to Ghana Airways below:
This story was originally published by GhanaWeb on May 9 2023
Here’s why Ghana Airways did not live up to expectation and collapsed in 2004
In 1958, Ghana Airways burst onto the scene as the national carrier of Ghana. The airline was a joint venture between the government of Ghana, which held a 60 percent stake, and the British Overseas Aircraft Corporation (BOAC), which held the remaining 40 percent.
It operated from its primary hub at Kotoka International Airport.
According to simpleflying.com, Ghana Airways initially operated under a seven-year agreement with BOAC, with BOAC staff managing the airline while some Ghanaian personnel were sent to London for training.
Over the years, Ghana Airways proudly carried the flag of Ghana on its wings, and anyone associated with the airline was considered elite and often beamed with pride.
The airline used two Boeing 707-420s and three Vickers VC10s to commence flights to the United States, as well as services to Sydney in Australia and Tokyo in Japan.
However, the business side of the airline began to show warning signs, eventually leading to the collapse of Ghana Airways for several reasons.
In the early 2000s, financial problems became evident as demand for flights increased and staff numbers grew significantly. The airline also struggled to compete with private carriers that deployed more innovative operational strategies.
Management and operational woes
After successfully operating for a few years, Ghana Airways sought independence by buying out BOAC’s 40 percent stake.
Although this move was commendable, the airline faced stiff competition from private carriers offering superior services.
Former BOAC Chief Executive Officer Sir Duncan Cumming, when presented with a check for the buyout, simultaneously signed a contract renewing BOAC’s management agreement, originally signed in 1958.
This agreement was set to last until July 1961. However, the Ghanaian government announced a reorganization of the airline and canceled Ghana Airways’ commitment for the two Boeing 707 aircraft operated under BOAC management.
About three years before the contract’s expiry, Ghana Airways terminated its pool agreement with BOAC and signed a new partnership with Alitalia to operate flights between Accra and Rome.
This move strained relations with BOAC, although the British company continued to handle Ghana Airways’ ground operations at London’s Heathrow Airport.
Ghana Airways’ debt situation
Over the years, Ghana Airways accumulated heavy debt, totaling about $160 million. Former Chairman Sir Sam Jonah noted that the airline would not survive without a foreign partner.
Before its collapse in 2004, Ghana Airways offered flights between Accra and Baltimore, Maryland, in 2000. In 2001, it added transit stops in Banjul, The Gambia, to expand its reach.
However, this strategy failed when Gambian passengers threatened to burn down the Ghana Airways office after a full flight in January 2002 landed in Banjul from Accra, took on fuel, and departed for Baltimore, leaving passengers stranded.
In the same year, one of Ghana Airways’ DC-10s was seized at London’s Heathrow Airport after British creditor BOAC obtained a legal injunction to recoup part of the £4 million owed. The aircraft was later released after a £1 million payment, only a fraction of the debt owed.
By September 2002, the airline’s collapse was almost an open secret. The Ghanaian government announced an agreement with South Africa’s Nationwide Airlines, intending to rename the airline Ghana Nationwide International Airlines (GNIA).
This partnership, however, lasted less than a year. In 2003, the government withdrew from GNIA and entered into a deal with British Midland, forming a new entity, Fly Ghana Limited, with the government as the main shareholder.
Under the plan, British Midland was to supply two Airbus A330s for the Accra–London and Accra–New York routes, while DC-10s would operate other long-haul flights and the new Ghana Airways would operate regional flights using Fokker 100 aircraft.
Finally, in 2004, Ghana Airways was discovered to be operating unsafe aircraft with an out-of-date license. The United States Department of Transportation subsequently banned the airline, forcing it to cancel its New York and Baltimore flights.
The ban led to the dismissal of the airline’s entire board by the Ghanaian government, which assumed full control of the airline. However, Ghana Airways was still burdened with outstanding debt and operational challenges.
Ethiopian Airlines offered to help revive Ghana Airways, proposing a deal that would give the Ghanaian government a 25 percent stake. The government declined the proposal, and Ghana Airways was eventually liquidated in mid-June 2005.
Every object has a story to tell, more so when it’s a plane that has carried many of our people across the world when it was in its prime service. That’s memory. Most grateful to the local car sprayers we worked with to rebrand the aircraft. This process took sometime. 🌟 pic.twitter.com/reUOlt993X
— Ibrahim mahama (@ibrahim_mahama) August 29, 2025
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