President John Dramani Mahama has reiterated that his government’s prohibition on first-class air travel for ministers and public officers remains strictly enforced, emphasizing fiscal prudence.
Addressing the 77th Annual New Year School conference at the University of Ghana, Legon, on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, Mahama shared an anecdote from a foreign president who noticed an empty first-class cabin on a flight.
“The president arrived and was the only person in the first-class cabin… He asked the stewards why, and they replied, ‘The President of Ghana has banned all his ministers and public officers from travelling first-class. So they are all at the back in business,'” Mahama recounted.
He confirmed the story’s accuracy, noting several chief executives and officials were indeed in business class.
The President used the example to highlight his administration’s ongoing commitment to cost-conscious governance and responsible public spending.
The policy, aimed at curbing extravagance, continues to shape official travel protocols under the current term.
