Akufo-Addo, Bawumia confused about proposed airport in Cape Coast – Ricketts-Hagan

National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Cape Coast South constituency, Kweku Ricketts-Hagan has described the President Nana Akuffo-Addo and his Vice- President Dr Bawumia as an utterly confused people on the issue of whether Cape Coast should have an airport.

He said the promises, 'the lies and the inconsistencies' between the pair have finally come to a “dead end” as they have runout of anymore road to peddle their lies.

“It was astonishing to see the pair in Cape Coast over the weekend shamefully displaying to each other and to Ghanaians that they have lost the plot of their own lies and inconsistencies.

Speaking to reporters, on the NPP Manifesto launch in Cape Coast over the week end, Mr Ricketts-Hagan further said “What happened in Cape Coast over the weekend was shocking, the President had clearly said no, without using the word, to an airport in Cape Coast, looking unconvinced that Cape Coast needs an airport, then less than 24 hours the Vice- President Dr Bawumia, who was sharing the same stage at UCC, comes out to announce that the NPP government will construct an airport in Cape Coast, if they are given another 4 years.” It makes you wonder who is in charge of the country.

“It is incredible and beggars belief that the President of the Republic and his Vice- President, could stoop so low to deceive Cape Coasters, the people of the Central Region and ultimately Ghanaians that they are going to build an airport they clearly don’t agree on, they have not thought through, they have no plans for, no budget for (we will see what trick the come up with in November). But the Central Region will not fall for their empty promises and lies this time round.”

The President on Friday August 21, when being interviewed by ATL FM in Cape Coast during his tour of the Central Region, said the appeal by residents of Cape Coast to have an airport will be subjected to a critical assessment before a decision can be arrived. One could clearly tell from the interview that he was not in favour of an airport being built in Cape Coast, though he recognizes the tourism potential of Cape Coast in particular and Central Region in general.

The President further said “… the response of the government should not just be that the people say we need an airport, the response should be that the matter has been thoroughly examined and the need has been established. That is the process the Ministry of Aviation is going through.”

“We have to be able to decide for ourselves whether the need for the airport can be justified when you have Accra, and you have Kumasi, you have Takoradi, you have Tamale and whether on the coast with Accra’s presence there’s the need for an additional airport.” So this is a President who clearly is not interested in an airport in Cape Coast.

In less than 24 hours, the Vice-President, who was speaking at the manifesto launch at the University of Cape Coast on Saturday August 22, embarrassingly contradicted the President by saying that the government will construct an airport in Cape Coast, if the NPP government is given another four year mandate in the upcoming December elections.

Dr Bawumia said “We are going to build a new harbour and a new airport in Cape Coast. It is very critical that the Central Region gets its own airport.”

The NPP government is now desperately formulating policies and their manifesto on the road. They have clearly become “pay-as-you –go” government.