Ghana Airports Company begins site assessment for Upper East Regional Airport
The inspection, which took place earlier this week, is seen as a critical step in assessing the feasibility and readiness of the site for development.
In a significant move towards the expansion of Ghana’s aviation infrastructure, officials from the Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL) conducted a working visit to the proposed site for the Upper East Regional Airport to inspect the site.
The inspection, which took place earlier this week, is seen as a critical step in assessing the feasibility and readiness of the site for development.
The visit, led by the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Airport Company Limited Mrs. Yvonne Afriyie Opare and some high-ranking delegation from GACL, was aimed at evaluating the condition of the site and ensuring that it meets the necessary requirements for the construction of an airport. This includes the consideration of land size, accessibility, environmental impact, and potential for future growth of the region.
The Upper East Region, known for its historical sites, agricultural production, and proximity to neighboring Burkina Faso, has long been identified as an important region for better connectivity and economic growth. The establishment of an airport in the region is expected to boost tourism, enhance trade, and provide a more direct route for travelers, both local and international.
Addressing Chiefs and traditional leaders at the site, Mrs Opare said the purpose of the visit was to gather essential information on the proposed site.
She added that construction of the airport will soon start: “l’m here on the vision of Your Excellency, the President John Dramani-Mahama, to establish an airport at the Upper East Region and also here on behalf of my Honourable Sector Minister, Honourable Joseph Bukari-Nikpe, who has sent us here to make sure that we come and have an assessment of the land and do the necessary requirements that we need to establish, to begin the process of building the airport at this location. And so that is the reason why we are here. I want to take the opportunity to thank the Alangube group that resides in New Jersey, natives of Bogatanga that reside in New Jersey, who have spent their own resources to grade the land and create the path for a runway up to about 2,000 metres. This shows a lot of seriousness for this project. And the President also attaches a lot of seriousness to it.
And so that is why we are here. And we know that as the months go along you will see some visible signs of us having started this project. I want to thank everyone here and we pray for your support, your moral support, your prayers, that this will be a success and it will be a good thing for the people of the Upper East Region and the people of Ghana as a whole.”
The visit to the Upper East Regional Airport proposal site is part of a broader initiative by the government and GACL to improve regional connectivity. If successful, the airport could serve as a gateway to the northern regions of Ghana and provide an economic stimulus to local businesses and industries.
Local residents have expressed their hopes for the project, with many seeing it as a means to bring more opportunities to the region. The establishment of an airport is expected to create jobs, enhance trade links, and promote tourism in the area, which is known for its cultural heritage sites such as the Paga Crocodile Pond and the Tongo Hills.
The Upper East Regional minister, Donatus Akamugri said the completion of the Upper East Regional Airport remains a key component in the government’s broader strategy to enhance the country’s transportation network, promoting both local and international travel.
“So this project belongs to Ghana and not an individual and so I want everybody to apply themselves to this project so that we can actualize it so that it can come to the benefit of the people of Upper East and at large the people of Ghana and the world. Because what we have here, I can tell you that we have nine out of 15 municipal and district assemblies that have gold deposits which means that the mining companies will need a faster means of conveying their stuff as well as conveying their products to the advanced countries for sale. And this will be a very important one. Apart from that, this area, we have 15 municipal or district assemblies and we have about eight of these assemblies that are border assemblies.
Eight districts in the region are border districts and border districts means international business will boom. So if you have the airport here, the business is going to be booming and this will supersede all the airports in this country.”
Source: A1Radioonline.com
