Manasseh raises conflict of interest concerns over Mahama’s use of brother’s private jet

Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has raised concerns about potential conflict of interest issues surrounding President John Dramani Mahama’s use of a private jet owned by his brother, Ibrahim Mahama, for official presidential travels.
In a commentary referencing guidelines by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Manasseh explained that public officials can be found guilty of a conflict of interest even when there is no proven wrongdoing.

According to CHRAJ’s conflict of interest guidelines, there are three categories of conflict of interest: actual, potential and apparent (or perceived).

An actual conflict of interest, he noted, occurs when a public officer’s private interests directly compromise their judgement or objectivity in the discharge of official duties.

A potential conflict of interest arises when a public official’s actions create conditions that could lead to a conflict in the future, even if no wrongdoing has yet occurred.

The third category, apparent or perceived conflict of interest, occurs when circumstances create a reasonable perception that a public officer’s decisions may be influenced by personal relationships or benefits.

Manasseh illustrated the concept using a hypothetical example in which a businessman whose private jet is used by the president later wins a government contract.

Even if the businessman’s company secured the contract through a competitive process, the relationship could still raise public suspicion that the contract was a reward for the favour.

He likened the situation to a classroom scenario where a lecturer’s romantic partner finishes first in a course.

While the student may genuinely be the best performer, many observers would still question whether the result was influenced by the relationship.

According to Manasseh, this is why President Mahama’s decision to use his brother’s private jet for official travel could create problematic perceptions.

The president’s spokesperson had explained that the arrangement was intended to reduce costs, as the current presidential jet is not airworthy and a new aircraft being procured has not yet been delivered.

Manasseh acknowledged that the president’s intentions might be genuine but emphasised that governance requires leaders to avoid situations that may undermine public confidence.

He pointed out that the president recently introduced a code of conduct for public appointees, which prohibits officials from accepting gifts valued at more than GH¢20,000.

The principle behind the rule, he explained, is to prevent situations where gifts or benefits could compromise an official’s impartiality.

Manasseh argued that the use of a private jet—particularly one owned by a businessman whose companies do business with the state—raises questions about whether the spirit of that code is being upheld.

He also recalled a previous controversy during President Mahama’s first term involving a vehicle reportedly gifted by a Burkinabe contractor.

According to him, the president’s relationship with his brother should be clearly separated from matters involving state business in order to avoid perceptions of impropriety.

Manasseh cautioned that even well-intentioned decisions can weaken public trust if they contradict established rules or ethical standards.

He warned that if the president makes exceptions for himself, other government appointees may feel justified in doing the same.

“The nation is not bleeding because of legitimate transactions such as the cost of the president’s travels,” he argued. Instead, he said Ghana often loses hundreds of millions of cedis through compromised procurement deals.

According to him, a single compromised contract could cost the country far more than the total cost of presidential travel over an entire term.

While acknowledging that President Mahama had begun his administration positively, Manasseh urged him to be mindful of the public optics of such decisions.

“The optics don’t look good with you in your brother’s jet,” he warned, stressing that the conflict of interest provisions and the president’s own code of conduct should guide such matters.

He concluded with a caution that seemingly minor issues can gradually erode public goodwill if left unchecked.

“The leaks that sink mighty ships aren’t always gaping holes. Sometimes they are too small to notice until they become serious enough to seal,” he said.