Citi News can confirm that President John Dramani Mahama travelled to Japan on a regular Emirates Airlines flight during his recent trip, contrary to claims by the Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, who alleged that the President used an expensive private jet.
The MP had suggested that a private jet with registration M-BAEP departed Accra on the morning of Sunday, August 17, and claimed it may have been used by President Mahama.
He further estimated that the cost of the trip could be around $690,000.
However, Citi News checks confirm that President Mahama departed Accra on Sunday afternoon after attending a thanksgiving service for the late Defence Minister, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah.
He transited through Dubai aboard Emirates flight EK318 and arrived in Tokyo at 5:43 p.m. local time, which is nine hours ahead of Ghana.
Flight details can be verified here: FlightAware – Emirates Flight UAE318
President Mahama is in Tokyo to participate in the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IX), where he is scheduled to speak during a plenary session on the theme: Economy – Promoting Trade and Investment.
He was warmly welcomed upon arrival by officials from Ghana’s Embassy in Japan and representatives of the host government.
The President is accompanied by a high-level delegation for the TICAD conference, which aims to promote African ownership of the continent’s development agenda while strengthening international partnerships.
