President only fuels Dzata jet for trips; he does not rent it - Kwakye Ofosu clarifies

The Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has clarified that the government does not rent the private jet owned by his brother and business mogul Ibrahim Mahama but only pays for fuel when it is used by President John Dramani Mahama for official travel.

According to him, the aircraft, popularly known as Dzata, remains the property of its owner and the state only settles operational expenses such as fuel and landing charges during presidential trips.

Speaking on the arrangement, Kwakye Ofosu said the President does not incur rental costs when using the jet.

“The President does not rent the aircraft; he only fuels it. The aircraft belongs to somebody, so the owner retains the services of the pilot and other personnel who work on it,” he explained.

You may be earning back 'dead goat' syndrome tag - Cudjoe chides President Mahama

According to a citinewsroom.com report on March 12, 2026, Kwakye Ofosu noted that all maintenance and servicing costs for the aircraft are borne solely by its owner, including the payment of pilots and other crew members.

He argued that the arrangement saves the government significant costs that would otherwise arise if the state opted to charter an aircraft for presidential travel.

“When the President rents an aircraft, apart from paying the rent, he would also have to cover fuel and all the costs associated with maintaining that aircraft during the time he is using it. By not doing so, the President is saving public funds,” he said.

The clarification follows concerns raised by the Minority in Parliament and president of policy think tank IMANI Africa, Franklin Cudjoe over the President’s use of the private jet for official trips, including his recent visit to South Korea.

MRA/VPO

Meanwhile, learn of the story of the man behind the iconic Akwaaba frames in Ghana: