The John Dramani Mahama government has been heavily criticised by a faction of the public over its continuous use of his brother, Ibrahim Mahama’s private jet, the Dzata, for official state functions, including international travels by the president and his vice, Prof Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang.
Despite the criticism, the Dzata has been continually used for official travels of the president and his vice president, with the former using the plane for a trip to Luanda, Angola, for the 7th AU-EU Summit just this Monday, November 26, 2025.
One of the issues raised by critics is the amount it costs the state anytime Ibrahim Mahama’s private jet is used for a government function.
The Minister of State in charge of Government Communication, Felix Ofosu-Kwakye, in an interview on JoyNews aired on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, cleared the air on the government’s expenses anytime the private jet is used.
He indicated that the state does not bear all the costs associated with hiring a private jet. Fixed costs, including aircraft maintenance, insurance, and crew salaries, are spread across flights, while variable costs include airport fees, landing charges, and handling fees.
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He said that the only thing the government caters for anytime the jet is used is the fuel for the official travel.
“The only cost we incur in using Ibrahim Mahama‘s jet is fuel,” Felix Ofosu-Kwakye is quoted as saying during the interview in a news card shared by JoyNews.
The only cost we incur in using Ibrahim Mahama‘s jet is fuel – Felix Kwakye Ofosu.
Catch his full interview tonight at 9:00 PM on #PMExpress with Evans Mensah on JoyNews pic.twitter.com/Dhw6DJ0SGb
— JoyNews (@JoyNewsOnTV) November 25, 2025
BAI
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