Mahama and NDC deserve some credit for Kumasi airport – Minister admits

The Ashanti Regional Minister Simon Osei-Mensah has admitted the erstwhile John Dramani Mahama-led administration deserves some credit for its contributions to the Kumasi airport.

Though he indicated that the airport cannot be classified as 'international', the previous administration, he said, facilitated the processes for which it is currently being upgraded to meet the status of an international airport.

“I will give them some credit. You know I’m fair; they initiated the credit arrangement in Parliament for approval. There were also eight conditions precedents which they (NDC) fulfilled four remaining four, but we began the whole building process”, he said on Nhyira FM monitored by MyNewsGh.com

“The beautiful one you can see it is ongoing now is what will make it truly an international airport. After we have completed it you can fly from Kumasi to France, London, US... what is what we call the International airport”, he told Papa Nyameke on the shoe Kro Yi Mu Nsem.

Background

In November 2016, Parliament passed the buyer credit and commercial contract agreements between the government and some companies for the development of the Kumasi and Tamale international airports.

The first buyer credit agreement was between the government and Banco Santander S. A. and its affiliates for €65,037,500 for the development of one section of the Kumasi International Airport.

There was also a tied commercial loan agreement between the government and Banco Santander S. A. and its affiliates for €7,762,500 for the development of another section of the same airport.

The commercial contract agreement between the government and Contracta Construction UK Limited was for an amount of €66,350,000 for the design and execution of works for the development of the Kumasi International Airport.