Kumasi Airport not yet international – Minister

The Deputy Minister of Transport, Joyce Bawa Mogtari has said that despite the massive expansion works carried out on the Kumasi Airport, it still does not meet international standards.

President Mahama, on Monday night, inaugurated the newly refurbished Kumasi Airport. The facility can now accommodate more aircrafts both in the day and at night.

Hitherto, flights operated from 6am to 6pm.

The total rehabilitation works which will cost about $29 million was necessitated by the deplorable nature of the runway at the airport, and the facility’s inability to land flights at night.

So far over $4.9 million has been spent on the first phase of the project.

The airport’s car park which can now take about 500 cars at a time, could previously only accommodate 86 cars. Also, the airport can now boast of a high-tech aeronautical ground lighting system that supports night operations.

“So a lot is being done to bring it up to the requisite international standard but for now if the Black Stars or some other team needs to play in Kumasi after 6pm, the plane whatever the size can arrive there safely and then business will be done,” the deputy minister said.

Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, Joyce Bawa explained that in order to attain the international status more work needed to be done on the Airport’s runway “and hopefully that should be completed probably in the shortest possible time. The airport is now well fitted out and prepared to receive larger bodied aircraft.”

“The Terminal building is something we would have to pull down completely and totally reconstruct. Presently Ghana Airport Company is actually designing a new terminal building. We are looking forward to the construction phase beginning probably by the first quarter of 2015,” she added.

 Source: citifmonline