BY: News Desk | Voltaonlinegh.com |
Commercial flight operations are set to commence at the Ho Airport, almost three years after its completion in the Volta regional capital.
The 25-million-dollar domestic airport, barring any unforeseen circumstances, would welcome domestic carrier, Africa World Airlines (AWA) with its first commercial flight on the Accra-Ho route by the middle of April this year.
This was made known by the Minister for Transport and Aviation, Mr. Kwaku Ofori Asiamah during a recent farmilisation visit to the Ho Airport.
He noted that, after several engagements with the domestic airlines by the government and the Ghana Airport Company Limited to operationalize the airport commercially, only AWA expressed its readiness to ply the Accra-Ho route.
The minister thus urged to residents to patronize the flights in order to make the route commercially viable and sustainable.
He said unlike state owned airlines, private airlines are driven by profits and so if the flight are not patronised “We will come back to square one and the airport will have to close down on financial grounds.”
He also appealed to the Chiefs and people to protect the airport lands from encroachment, noting that the practice may stifle future expansion of the airport. He therefore warned that anyone who attempts to build on airport lands anywhere in the country will have their building demolished without fear or favour.
On his part, the Managing Director of the Ghana Airport Company Limited, Mr. Yaw Kwakwa said the commercialization of the airport was possible due to the collaboration and cooperation of all key stakeholders. He revealed that the company is hoping that the tourism sector will take advantage of this initiative to open up the region.
The Awafiaga of Ho, Togbe Adzi Lakle Howusu XII who spoke on behalf of the Asogli State thanked God and the gods of the land for what he described as the “long awaited opening of the airport.”
He also commended stakeholders and President Akufo-Addo in particular for keeping his word that the Ho Airport will become operational. He was hopeful that gradually international flights to neighbouring counties will be possible. As well as other inland flights to Tamale, Kumasi and Takoradi.
The Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa who has been at the receiving end of consistent pressure to ensure the commercial use of the Airport, expressed excitement about the development, and appealed to tourists and investors to make good use of the airport.
Background
The airport project, was started in 2015 by the erstwhile government with a loan facility of 25 million Dollars on the balance sheet of the Ghana Airport Company Limited. Israeli company, Amandi Holdings Limited executed the project and completed it in 2018.
The project comes with a 1,900-metre runway, traffic control tower, 150 capacity passenger waiting area, an ultramodern airbus terminal and an automatic fire detection system. Communication, weather and runway fixtures has been done to facilitate safe flights.
Source: www.voltaonlinegh.com
