Work on Tamale International Airport to commence

Mr Pedro Alexandre Figueiredo Alves, Project Engineer of Queiroz Galvao Contracting Company, has assured that full construction works would soon commence on the 100-million dollar upgrading and expansion project of the Tamale airport.

He said the firm, which had been awarded the contract to work on the project, has begun testing the soil and taking measurements of the landmarks to lay a good foundation for the actual physical works to begin on the upgrading of the airport to international standards.

Mr Figueiredo was speaking to the Minister of Transport, Mrs Dzifa Attivor on Tuesday in Tamale during a working visit to the area to acquaint herself with the level of preparedness towards the commencement of the project.

The Contractors are currently on site, putting finishing touches to their accommodation and office structures at the Tamale Airforce base, with other facilities such as warehouses, laboratory, canteen and a medical centre progressing steadily.

The first phase of the project that comprised the extension of the runway from the current 2,480 meters to 3,940 meters, include the installation of a complete lighting system to accommodate bigger aircraft. The project, expected to be completed in September 2015, was signed between the management of the Ghana Airport Company Limited and the Brazilian construction company and subsequently approved by Parliament in September last year.

Mr Thiago Pinho, Planning Engineer of the Project, said even though some of the equipment had arrived on site, they were still expecting more from Brazil and Europe to facilitate work, and stressed that, apart from the extension of the runway, they would also improve on other facilities to meet international standards.

He indicated that they had already employed a core staff that include Ghanaians and Europeans, but were yet to meet their full complement of work force and that screening was still ongoing to engage additional qualified staff. Alhaji A. B. A Fuseini, Deputy Northern Regional Minister, who earlier welcomed the Minister to the region, explained that the project was significant for the people, particularly in job creation, and that it would bring rapid socio-economic development.

He pledged the Northern Regional Coordinating Council’s unflinching support to the successful completion of the project and promised to ensure that all bottlenecks relating to land acquisition and its resultant challenges were resolved amicably. Mrs Attivor expressed the commitment of the government in extending opportunities to all parts of the country for accelerated growth and development.

“This project is so dear to the government and the people in this part of the country and so we are determined to ensure that it is completed on schedule not only as a fulfillment of our campaign and manifesto promises, but also as a social obligation,” she said. She said apart from serving Ghanaians in the northern part of the country, the Tamale International Airport would also provide services for other sub-Saharan regions, including Burkina Faso and Mali.

The Tamale International Airport, she added, would serve Muslims in the North and neighbouring countries on their annual pilgrimage to Mecca and support the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) in exporting perishable goods.