Minority calls for international intervention in ‘suspicious flights’ saga, petitions diplomatic corps

The Minority in Parliament has formally petitioned the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador of Lebanon to Ghana, H.E. Maher Kheir, to intervene in the ongoing controversy surrounding the alleged suspicious flights from Gran Canaria that landed at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).

In a statement issued on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, and signed by the Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee, the Minority appealed to the diplomatic community to support Ghanaian authorities in investigating the alleged landing of two AirMed flights and a Cavok Air cargo flight that reportedly transported suspected illicit drugs and money into the country.

The request follows a press conference held by the Minority on April 1, 2025, during which they raised serious national security concerns and called on state authorities to probe the mysterious flights.

President John Dramani Mahama subsequently directed state investigative agencies to look into the matter.

However, the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, Hon. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has since dismissed the allegations, describing the investigations as “a waste of time”.

Contrary to the Minister’s claims that the AirMed flights originated from Luanda, the Minority caucus says its independent checks have confirmed that both flights arrived directly from Gran Canaria.

Additionally, doubts have emerged over the flight history of the Cavok aircraft, as no evidence has been found to support claims that it flew into Ghana on the stated dates.

“The questions surrounding these flights warrant thorough, credible investigations,” the statement read. “Ghana is a signatory to numerous international conventions that bind us to fight transnational crimes, including illicit drug trafficking and money laundering.”

The statement cited key international conventions, including the UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime, as binding obligations requiring Ghana to act decisively against such crimes.

The Minority also reminded the public of legislative measures taken in recent years, such as the Narcotics Control Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1019), and the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2020 (Act 1044), stressing that Ghana cannot afford to falter in enforcing its anti-narcotics and anti-money laundering regime.

To this end, the Minority has proposed five interventions from 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 probe the matter fully and impartially;
Show keen interest in the independence of Parliament and the safety of whistleblowers such as Hon. John Ntim Fordjour and other MPs involved in oversight efforts.

The Minority’s appeal, according to the statement, underscores the urgent need for international cooperation to ensure Ghana’s integrity is upheld and to safeguard both national and global security from the adverse effects of transnational organized crime.

Source:Myjoyonline