Feasibility study underway for new airport in Damgbe-East

Alhaji Collins Dauda, Minister of Transport, on Wednesday said a Memorandum Of Understanding had been signed with China Airports Construction Corporation (CACC) to undertake feasibility study for a conceptual design for a new airport in the Dangbe-East District.

He said the acquisition of a 16,000 acre land for the new airport near Pampram was also in progress.

The minister, who took his turn at the Meet-the-Press series in Accra to highlight the achievements and challenges of the ministry, said the project, after completion, would address the capacity constraints and future anticipated traffic growth at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).

Alhaji Dauda said a new Airport Bill was being processed to Parliament, which would convert its current Limited Liability status into an Authority, which would confer on the organization, powers to make bye-laws, directives and also enjoy tax exemptions.

The Act, he said, would also provide security to state lands and properties.

On the Aviation Sub-Sector, the minister said the Ghana Airports Company Limited would continue with the KIA phase III rehabilitation project to facilitate and enhance passenger movements and experience in the terminal as well as aircraft movement on the air-side.

“The regional airports will also undergo a facelift to support the growing domestic traffic whilst the programme for upgrading Tamale Airport as an alternative international airport to KIA, which has been initiated, would be continued next year.

“Other projects, which are being planned and will take off next year under Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) arrangement, include airport business centre; new office block for freight forward; new airline office complex; warehousing facilities; Maintenance, Repair and Operate (MRO) services, and multi-storey car parks,” he said.

Alhaji Dauda said with respect to the Civil Aviation system, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) would collaborate with the World Bank for the review, drafting and development of economic regulations for the Authority.

He said the Authority would also continue with the construction of the Ghana Civil Aviation Training Academy Complex to help build human capacity for the rapidly growing aviation industry in the country.

“GCAA will also continue with the construction of the Air Navigation Service Centre and installation of an Instrument Landing System in Kumasi,” he added.

The minister said government had taken initiatives in seeking funding from the World Bank and other donor partners for the development of the infrastructure, among those initiatives, were the recently approved CDB credit facility to undertake projects in the ports, railways and the Volta Lake.

He said the sector would also take advantage of the Cabinet-approved PPP Framework that would guide the ministry for private sector investments in infrastructure and services.

On the Maritime and Inland Waterways sub-sector, the ministry would focus on infrastructure development to address the rising congestion at the ports.

He said in that regard, the Ghana Ports and Habours Authority (GPHA) would commence construction of Phase I of the Takoradi Port Expansion Project to meet the needs of the increasing number of supply/support vessels in the Port of Takoradi.

The GPHA would also commence the construction of a new Jetty in the Tema Port basin to create additional berths for bulk cargo vessels.

Alhaji Dauda reiterated government’s determination to have deep Sea Port in the Western Region and as a result, a feasibility study was in progress with the support of the Korean Government.

He said the Volta Lake Transport Company Limited would pursue the Eastern Corridor Multi-modal Transport project under the CDB credit facility with the expansion of the Akosombo and Buipe terminals as well as the procurement of ferries and pontoons and also the provision of landing sites at various locations along the lake.