The Member of Parliament for Assin South Constituency, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, has called on the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to apologise to former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the people of Ghana for their opposition to the retooling of the Ghana Armed Forces and the acquisition of military aircraft.
In an X post (Twitter), Ntim Fordjour recalled that former President John Agyekum Kufuor had planned to acquire two aircraft for the Air Force in 2008 and had made a down payment of $38 million.
However, he said, the NDC government at the time cancelled the agreement, allowing only a single Falcon 900EX aircraft to be procured.
Ntim Fordjour further criticised the NDC for publicly and vigorously opposing President Akufo-Addo’s efforts to strengthen the Ghana Armed Forces and modernise the Air Force through strategic investments.
“Yesterday, we NPP MPs in opposition, the Mighty Minority, took the moral high ground to support the acquisition of aircraft for the Ghana Airforce. We will not politicise nor oppose what is right for the state and the Airforce,” Ntim Fordjour said.
He added, “However, the NDC must apologise to the good people of Ghana and President Akufo-Addo for opposing the Air Force retooling agenda between 2017 and 2024 and doing needless politics over military aircraft and presidential travel.”
The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Defence and Interior Committee emphasised that supporting initiatives that strengthen national security should transcend party lines and that political differences should not compromise the operational capacity of the military.
On presidential jet; President Kufour planned to acquire 2 aircrafts for the Airforce and made down payment of $38 million in 2008. NDC canceled the agreement and allowed only 1 falcon 900EX aircraft. NDC further publicly and fiercely opposed President Akufo-Addo’s efforts of… pic.twitter.com/wKNJx3ujzR
— John Ntim Fordjour MP (@NtimFordjour) December 5, 2025
His reactions come after Parliament approved a $60 million deal between the Ministry of Defence and Dassault Aviation for the purchase of a Falcon 6X aircraft for the Ghana Air Force.
Lawmakers also endorsed a €125 million agreement with Airbus Helicopters SAS to supply one H160 and three H175 helicopters to bolster the Air Force’s fleet.
After Parliament approved the GH¢1.70 billion budget for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, sector minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa assured the Minority that the presidency had moved away from the high costs previously linked to chartered luxury flights.
He noted that concerns he raised about former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s use of expensive chartered aircraft were no longer relevant, as President John Dramani Mahama now travels on commercial flights.
Ablakwa added that analysis by Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson indicated that the expenses incurred on chartered flights under the previous administration could have funded a new presidential jet.
