Chief appeals to Akufo-Addo to fast track work on Wa Airport

The Chief of Wa has appealed to the Nana Addo led government to as a matter of urgency fast track work on the designated land for the Wa Airport.

This is to enable easy transport to the Wa township which happens to be the regional capital of the Upper West Region.

Naa Fuseini Pelpuo IV made the appeal when the Minister for Gender Children and Social Protection, Otiko Afisah Djaba, Upper West Regional Minister Sulemana Alhassan and Directors at the Gender Ministry paid a courtesy call on him as part of her two-day familiarization tour in the upper West Region.

The Wa airstrip, which was decades ago used for domestic services, had remained unsuitable for domestic flights over a long period of time.

Domestic airline operators cited the poor runway, lack of adequate terminal building and other ancillary facilities for their inability to operate flights from Accra to the Upper West regional capital.

Although the airport has undergone extensive renovation including the construction of a suitable terminal building, construction of a new runway and fencing of the facility the airport is yet to be opened for commercial purposes.

This the Waa Naa finds it unacceptable that a regional capital which is home to some 224,000 people –most of whom work with non-governmental organizations cannot boast of an airport which can cut the travel time to Wa.

It takes roughly about 12 to 13 hours to travel from Wa to Accra, and a journey from Kumasi to Wa takes eight hours while from Tamale to Wa takes about five hours.

Comparatively, it takes about 45 minutes to travel by air from Wa to Accra and even less to Kumasi. under the circumstances, for a businessman or woman, traveling by air is an easier option as against going by road.

Naa Fuseini Pelpuo IV is of the firm view that an effective use of the airport would not only make Wa a more competitive location, but it will also make the Upper West Region more attractive to businesses, especially small and medium-scale enterprises.

Responding to the concerns raised by the chief, Madam Otiko Afisah Djaba assured the Chief of liaising with the sector ministry in charge to ensure that works at the airport are fast tracked and opened for commercial use.