Minority Accuses President Mahama of Conflict of Interest Over Brother Ibrahim Mahama’s Private Jet and Mining Concession

The Minority in Parliament has accused President John Dramani Mahama of presiding over a potential conflict of interest involving his brother, businessman Ibrahim Mahama, particularly concerning the use of a private jet for official state travel and the reported pursuit of a major gold mining concession by companies linked to him.

At a media briefing in Parliament, the Ranking Member on the Lands and Natural Resources Committee, Hon. Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong (MP for Asante Mampong), described the situation as “the most serious conflict of interest question to confront any Ghanaian presidency.”

He argued that the two issues — the President’s use of Ibrahim Mahama’s private jet and the alleged attempt by companies linked to him to acquire one of Ghana’s most valuable gold mining assets — are interconnected and raise serious constitutional and ethical concerns.

“These are not separate stories. They are the same story,” the MP stated.

Key Allegations

According to the Minority:

• The President uses his brother’s private jet for official travel, with the state covering only fuel and landing charges while all other operational costs are borne by Ibrahim Mahama.
• This arrangement provides a substantial benefit that could run into hundreds of thousands of dollars per international trip (citing a recent visit to South Korea).
• The situation potentially breaches Article 284 of the 1992 Constitution, which prohibits public officials from placing themselves in positions where their personal interests conflict with their official duties.

The Minority further claimed that the overlap between the President’s official authority over mineral resources (held in trust under Article 257 of the Constitution) and his brother’s business interests creates what they termed “the anatomy of conflict of interest” and a form of “state capture.”

Demands by the Minority

The Minority is demanding the following:

• Full disclosure of all financial arrangements surrounding the President’s use of the private jet
• Complete disclosure of the beneficial ownership of companies involved in the mining bid
• Recusal of any public officials with ties to the bidding entities
• Immediate suspension of the mining concession award process pending full parliamentary scrutiny

The government is yet to issue an official response to the Minority’s allegations and demands.

This development has intensified political debate on transparency, conflict of interest, and governance standards in the handling of state resources and natural assets.

Source: Media briefing by Hon. Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, Ranking Member on Lands and Natural Resources Committee (March 25, 2026)