Feasibility studies for national carrier to be ready by March

By: Fred Yaw Sarpong

The Deputy Minister for Transport, Mrs Joyce Bawa Mogtari has announced that the feasibility studies paving way for the establishment of a national airline will be done by March this year.

According to the Deputy Minister, the transaction advisor; Price Water House Coopers (PWC) is expected to come out with a comprehensive report on a strategic investor who will be willing to partner government to invest in the national carrier.

Speaking on Ghana Television’s Breakfast Show last week, Mrs Mogtari said this partnership is part of the government’s private public partnership (PPP) initiative.

‘We have actually been part of the pre-feasibility report which was submitted by the TA and I think it is appearing that licensing and processing might require a little bit more time than the period that we gave the advisors to achieve or hope to achieve,’ said the Deputy Minister.

‘So what we are actually hoping for is that maybe by March, this year we should have the strategic investor in place because all the proposals would have been fully evaluated and I am sure the Transaction Advisors will be doing a very good job in that regard,’ she added.

She stated that it is the hope of the ministry that whoever comes to partner the government will be taken very seriously.

‘This will also allow us work hard on attaining the requisite licensing for operation to start. Maybe we might experience some months of delays with regard to actually be in the skies. But either way 2015 will see the rebirth of our National Airline,’ she reiterated.

The Deputy Minister indicated government and the sector ministry’s preparedness to provide all the support that the advisors need to be able to implement this project.

‘We have dully engaged the stakeholders and they have come out with some very good comments on how to ensure that we actually attain a successful business plan,’ she revealed.

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