Skip to main content

Mahama promises establishment of new airline


President John Dramani Mahama says under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative his government will partner the private sector to establish new national airline to meet the current economic demands in the aviation industry.
According to the President, feasibility studies have taken place and the new airline project is set to take off this year.
The country’s national airline, Ghana Airways, ceased operations in 2010 due to financial and operational challenges.
Addressing parliament on the state of the nation last week, President Mahama hinted that feasibility for the construction of aerodromes in some regional capitals around the country will also take place this year.
“Expansion of airport in Kumasi, Tamale, Sunyani and Takoradi, feasibility study of aerodromes in Ho, Cape Coast, Koforidua, Bolgatanga would be undertaken this year. We will also begin feasibility on the establishment of a new national airline in collaboration with the private sector under a PPP arrangement," he said.
Meanwhile, the country manager for British Airways, James Woodbridge,
Has suggested that if and when a new national airline is established, it should concentrate more on regional routes in order to build the brand before considering international routes. “In my opinion, a new national airline should build its brand on regional routes, this will enable it build alliance with other international airlines to fly customers from one place to the other without difficulties”. He added that should a new national airline start flying longhauls, it may inconvenience transit customers.
with regards to interests of new airlines flying into Ghana, he advised that the country should expedite expansion works at the Kotoka International Airport before granting other new airlines permission to fly into the country. He explained that the congestion at the airport coupled with the limited infrastructure will worsen if other new airlines are allowed to fly into the country now.
According to the President Mahama, he has directed the transport and finance ministers to begin investigations into unauthorised fees charged at the country’s ports and airports.
“As we continue to expand the infrastructure at the Tema and Takoradi ports we are also focused on the construction of a new modern sea port in the Western Region. I have directed the minister of finance and transport to undertake investigations of an unauthorized fees and charges at our airport and ports which are putting unbearable pressure on our importers,” he added.
The president also mentioned that his government has taken a decisive step to locate private sector coordination under the office of the president, and designated a minister of state in the presidency to coordinate and supervise private-sector initiatives to effectively facilitate private sector development.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Shortage of weighing cards hit major hospitals in Accra

By: Fred Yaw Sarpong- Daily Express There is scarcity of Child Health Records Book (weighing cards), in some major public hospitals in the capital, information reaching the Daily Express indicates. Checks by this paper revealed that while some of the hospitals have being encountering the shortage for about a year now, others started experiencing it six months ago. In place of the Child Health Record Book (weighing card), the nursing mothers are given a single card on which information of children are recorded on it. Those hospitals identified are the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Korle Bu Polyclinic, Kaneshie Polyclinic, Adabraka Polyclinic and the Ridge Hospital. At the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, the nursing mothers are given yellow cards in place of the weighing cards. The Public Relations Secretariat at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital said such information has not come to their notice and for that matter they cannot comment on it. “We do not have some ...

Barbering Salons, bridging the unemployment gap in Ghana

By: Fred Yaw Sarpong Barbering business in Ghana is money making venture, depending on the location of the shop. Various barbering shops scattered across the country charges according to the location of the shop. The nature and sustainability of every barbering shop depends on the location of the shop. The location will determine how much one can charge a customer for barbering his or her hair. Checks indicate that some barbering shops located at Spintex, East Legon and Osu Oxford street charges between GHc15.00 and GHc20.00 per hair cut. At South La Estate, it will cost a customer to pay GHc4.00 for hair cut, while one will have to pay GHc3.00 to barber his or her hair at a place like Nima, Maamobi and Mallam Gbawe. Royal Vulture Executive Barbering Salon is one of the biggest barbering salons one can locate within Accra. One is its shops is located at Madina, near Taxi rank while one is located at Accra New Town, near the Post Office. Customers at Madina pay GHc7.00 ...

ABL launches chibuku super in Bolgatanga

By: Fred Yaw Sarpong sarpong007@gmail.com Accra Brewery Limited (ABL) has officially launched the Chibuku Super drink at Bolgatanga in the Upper East region with the aim of reaching a lot of customers. Mr. Thomas Nii Ponku, Supervisor in charge of Chibuku Super at ABL told Daily Express that the management decided to launch the Chibuku Super drink in the Upper East region because they’ve realized it is similar to a traditional drink in the region. “Chibuku is like a well developed pito, a traditional drink made from fermented millet or sorghum in the Northern part of Ghana. So the idea is to provide them with similar drink,” he added. Mr. Nii Ponku disclosed this when members of the Institute of Finance and Economic Journalists (IFEJ) toured the facility of ABL to acquaint themselves with the expansion project at the factory. He mentioned that after a feasibility study, they realized there is a potential market for the product in the northern part of Ghana ...