The government is yet to decide on where to site the proposed new airport to serve the Central and Western Regions.
Feasibility Studies and Site Options
Despite the completion of feasibility studies on the project, a suitable site is yet to be chosen.
The Report of the Committe on Roads and Transport on the 2024 annual budget estimate of the Ministry of Transport, which has been approved by Parliament, notes that: ” The Ministry completed feasibility studies for the construction of an airport either in the Central Region, Western Region or in between the two regions in 2023.”
The Central Region currently has no functional commercial airport, while the military airport in Takoradi is used for scheduled commercial flights.
Decision-making Process
The decision to construct an airport for each region or one to serve both regions has gone through many phases.
Ankaful was initially mooted as the possible location to site an airport for the Central Region.
Importance of Airport for Central Region
The Central Region, which is a major tourism destination in the country, given its rich history and UNESCO World Heritage castles sited along the coast, is only accessible to tourists by road.
Travelling from Accra to Cape Coast is hampered by heavy vehicular traffic. It takes about two (2) hours to connect from Accra on a typical weekend when many people usually travel for tourism and social events.
Connecting with the regional capital, Cape Coast, from Accra is hampered by heavy vehicular traffic. It takes about two (2) hours to connect from Accra on a typical weekend when many people usually travel for tourism and social events.
Cape Coast played a crucial role in the success of the Year of Return held in Ghana in 2019. Indeed, a total of US$1.9 billion was generated into the economy through activities related to the “Year of Return.”
The programme also brought about an increase of over 200,000 in total arrivals into the country in the year under review.
The Beyond the Return and December in GH initiatives have also helped increase tourism revenue, with Cape Coast playing an integral role.
Importance of Airport for Western Region
The Western Region is also one of the country’s most endowed areas and the oil hub.
The region also hosts a lot of foreign companies operating in the mining, manufacturing, and other sectors
Summary
The unresolved decision on the new airport's location is a matter of great significance for both regions, considering their economic potential and the need to improve accessibility for tourism, trade, and investment. As discussions continue, it is essential to carefully weigh the various factors to ensure that the chosen site effectively serves the interests of the Central and Western Regions while contributing to the overall development of Ghana's transportation infrastructure.
(This article is sourced from aviationghana.com and curated by Thetransporteronline24)
