Accra: President John Dramani Mahama experienced a brief interruption during his speech at the Accra International Airport due to the noise from a departing South African Airways flight. The incident occurred on June 9, 2026, as the president addressed officials upon returning from an official trip to Belarus.
According to Ghana Web, the president paused his remarks momentarily when the aircraft's loud noise disrupted his address. Standing alongside Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, Mahama turned towards the sound of the aircraft and, upon realizing it was a South African carrier, remarked humorously, "That's an occupational hazard at the airport. Incidentally, it was South African Airways." This light-hearted comment elicited laughter from the gathered crowd.
The reference to South African Airways was particularly noteworthy, as it coincided with ongoing diplomatic tensions between Ghana and South Africa. These tensions have been fueled by recent xenophobic attacks against Ghanaians in South Africa, leading to Ghana evacuating approximately 1,000 citizens. The situation has resulted in public disagreements between the two nations, with South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, criticizing Ghana's handling of the matter.
Lamola has disputed Ghana's claims about the severity of injuries sustained by some citizens and urged Ghana to engage in direct diplomatic discussions rather than addressing issues publicly. In this context, President Mahama's comment about the South African Airways flight was seen by many as a timely and amusing coincidence, reflecting the current diplomatic climate between the two countries.