The airport plan
President John Dramani Mahama has commissioned the uncompleted aerodrome project in Ho, the Volta Regional Capital.
The commissioning, which was supposed to take place at 10am last Friday, kick-started after two hours as the chiefs and people of the Asogli State and Adaklu waited patiently under the scorching sun.
In September 2015, President Mahama cut the sod for the Ho Aerodrome project which is estimated to cost $25 million and expected to be completed in 2017.
However, the president and the Minister of Transport, Fifi Kwetey, had promised that inaugural flights at the airport would be in November 2016.
With a few days to this year’s general election, the president moved to Ho to commission the uncompleted project which currently has only the first phase – runway – completed.
The itinerary included the inspection of the progress of work and sod cutting of the second phase of the project – terminal building. President Mahama flew in a helicopter as he was behind schedule, to commission a Community Day Senior High School at Volo in Ketu North and an administration block at Dzodze Senior High School.
in an address, Mr Mahama indicated that the aerodrome is about 76% complete and hopeful that by March 2017, the terminal building would also be completed to make way for commercial flights.
The terminal building has a capacity to serve about 400 passengers per day and 150,000 passengers per year. Apart from this, the area around the aerodrome is expected to be developed into an airport city.
Aviation Hub
The president noted that the Ho aerodrome is part of many initiatives to make Ghana an aviation hub in West Africa. He said the government hopes to replicate the aerodrome in Cape Coast, Bolgatanga and renovate the Sunyani Airport.
He indicated that the reduction of aviation fuel by 25% had made Ghana a preferred destination for fuelling planes. He was hopeful that the construction of the new terminal building at the Kotoka International Airport would make it best in West Africa and among the top ten in Africa.
Fifi Kwetey later called for good maintenance culture while the Managing Director of the Ghana Airport Company, Charles Asare, commended the contractors – Amandi Holdings Limited – and the consultants for a good work done so far.
Togbe Kasa III, a divisional chief of the Asogli State, speaking on behalf of all the traditional rulers present, said that the region needs a befitting sports stadium, a teaching hospital and also the Ho-Accra, Abutia-Juapong and Ho-Aflao roads need be rehabilitated.
From Fred Duodu, Ho (freduoo@gmail.com)