Ghana Airports Company commended

Dr Camynta Baeizie, Executive Secretary of the State Enterprises Commission (SEC), has commended the Ghana Airports Company limited(GACL) for making significant financial gains in the year 2014.

“On behalf of State Enterprises Commission (SEC) and on my own behalf, I would like to commend the GACL for their immense achievement,” said Dr Baeizie.

He said this to journalists during the Third Annual General Meeting, of the GACL.

“For the GACL to have increased its profits from GHC 19.1 million in 2013, to 184.1 million in 2014 is a major achievement,” he said.

Speaking on other areas, Dr Baeizie said “we have all heard of the heavy investment the GACL is making towards improving airports in the country, including the completion of the ground lighting work in Kumasi.”

He said apart from those works giving a face-lift to the Kumasi airport, lots of jobs were also being created in the process, “and that is quite an achievement”.

Dr Baeizie said “in the same manner, the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) transformation would also not only enhance operations at the KIA, but also create jobs for our teaming youth, the SEC thus highly commends the GACL.”

He said it was worth noting that in the face of the Ebola crisis, the GACL was still able to chalk some achievements.

Dr Baizie also praised the GACL for adapting the International Financial Reporting Standard saying, “It is one of the standards that we are looking for with all our State Owned Enterprises (SOE).”

He said the GACL, by its operational style, was satisfying the key areas that the SEC used in determining the performance of an organization.

Dr Baizie said the GACL was effectively handling and tackling its financial obligations, and also investing into the development of good human capital, which reflected in operational excellence.

He said this excellently satisfied the standards that the SEC looked for in SOEs.

“The SEC would like to bring to the attention of the President, the sector ministry, and the Ministry of Finance, the fact that the high cost of domestic flights, need to be reduced and to do that we appeal that government take out the 17.5 per cent VAT and remove the taxes on aviation fuel”, said Dr Baeizie.

He said “taxes are after all meant to benefit people. The removal would lead to increased domestic passenger travel, create jobs, and create employment for the benefit of the very people that the taxes are being collected for.”