Kumasi Airport enclave to be developed into an entertainment hub - Mahama

Kumasi Airport will soon become an entertainment hub in the sub-region with the construction of Ghana’s second but largest National Theater in the enclave.

The 3000-capacity facility will be among other facilities being developed as part of the second phase of the Kumasi Airport project at a cost of 65 million US Dollars.

President Mahama disclosed this when he cut-sod for works to begin on the project which would be executed by Contracta Engineering, a Brazilian construction firm.

President Mahama says government has plans to develop the airport area into a one stop entertainment center.

According to him, private investor participation is being sought to partner government to help develop the area especially put up a hotel facility for tourists and visitors to the Ashanti region.

President Mahama reveals the airport is being upgraded to meet international status with flights expected to fly from Kumasi to the sub-region at all times.

"This airport is going to be designed not only for air travel. The vision of the Ghana Airport Company together with the Kumasi Metropolitan Authority is to develop the whole area around the airport into an entertainment area where you will have restaurant, you will have cafés. We even intend to design so that private sector can build a local airport hotel here. We also are designing the construction of Ghana’s second National Theater here in Kumasi near this airport. This National Theater, we expect would be bigger than the one in Accra. Accra seats about 1,500 visitors. We expect that this will seat about 2,500 to 3,000 visitors at a time,” he said.

President Mahama is hopeful the airport, when completed will boost economic activities in the Ashanti Region.

“We believe that this airport will lead to increased tourism and more visits to the city of Kumasi and will also stimulate economic activities. Airports are linked to tourism, and so it would be good for hotel business, there would be more visitors to the Rattray Park,” he said.

Chief Executive of Contracta Engenharia Limited, contractors working on the project say the redesigned airport’s terminal which will completely bring infrastructure to to support Kumasi’s accelerated growth will include “a contemporary and practical design, able to handle more than three times the current number of passengers, with all necessary infrastructure to offer comfort and security to its users.”

Meanwhile, President Mahama has assured original owners of the Kejetia-Central Market would be issued with the facility when completed.

He was addressing supporters when he toured the project site on Monday.