Upper East Airport: Construction to begin before year-end, be completed within 24 months
President Mahama says sod-cutting for the Upper East Airport will take place before the end of 2026, with the project expected to be completed within 24 months.
President John Dramani Mahama has assured residents of the Upper East Region that the long-awaited construction of an airport in the region will commence before the end of 2026.
The President said the sod-cutting ceremony for the project is expected to take place before the close of the year, with construction scheduled for completion within 24 months.
President Mahama gave the assurance on Thursday, August 13, when he inspected the proposed airport project site in Bolgatanga as part of his Resetting Ghana Tour of the Upper East Region.
He said the airport would end the long journeys residents currently undertake to Tamale to access air transport to Accra and other parts of the country.
“The time has come for the Upper East Region to have an airport. Passengers have had to drive 160 kilometres to Tamale to catch a flight from Tamale to Accra, and when they return, they have to repeat the journey back to the region. That will be a thing of the past.”
President Mahama said the airport would serve as an important economic enabler for the region by facilitating business activities, particularly in the mining sector.
He explained that the Upper East Airport project formed part of three priority airport projects being pursued by his administration, alongside the proposed airports for Wa and Sunyani.
He said although the contractor had been given 24 months to complete the project, assurances had been received that construction could be completed ahead of schedule.
“We hope that by the end of the year, we’ll come back here and cut the sod to start. Even though it is 24 months, the contractors assure us that they can do it in a shorter time than that.”
Earlier, the Member of Parliament for Builsa North and Majority Leader in Parliament, James Agalga, took the President and his delegation through the proposed airport site and outlined some of the major components of the project.
He said the project would include an Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower, a Rescue and Fire Fighting Services (RFFS) building, and a five-kilometre asphalted access road.
According to Agalga, the airport is expected to accommodate approximately 100,000 passengers annually and will be designed to allow for future expansion as passenger traffic and economic activities in the region grow.
The Paramount Chief of the Kologo Traditional Area, Naba Clifford Abagna Asobayire V, expressed appreciation to President Mahama on behalf of the people of the region.
He said residents were hopeful that the project would be completed within the scheduled timeframe to meet the transportation and economic needs of the Upper East Region.
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