An aviation expert, Captain Victor Amoah, is making a strong case for the establishment of regional airports in all 16 regions – because such a move holds better economic development prospects than a national carrier at this time.
According to him, the nation stands to expand its economic frontiers by opening itself up for investment across the country if it assures investors of swift transportation; and also enhances its security apparatus and preparedness.
Comparatively, he believes investments made into the building of standard airports in all regions would give better returns than a national carrier which would need a lot more funds, “an estimated US$100million and spare” according to Capt. Amoah, to maintain operations over a long period of time before good returns can be realised.
For him, despite the impact of COVID-19, data from the Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL) show growing interest in the use of domestic airlines, a development that is not only facilitating movement of people but also stimulating the economy.
“The local economies would see an upsurge, as building ancillary facilities at the airports would lead to large numbers of indirect jobs. The taxi drivers who wait at the airport to carry people into town would be in good business. When people are sitting at the airport to eat or sip a drink while waiting for their flights, farmers would also be benefitting; and restaurants would be opened and employing staff.
“The workers who work at these airports are going to reduce unemployment across the country. Some decent jobs would be provided. There would be need for other components to maintain the airport, and all those components would lead to the creation of jobs and drive development. I think every region should get a real airport, not an improvised airport; Kumasi is a good example.”
He is confident that airlines will be ready to patronise the airports, as there is a growing domestic appetite for flying that needs to be satisfied. “Africa World Airline in recent times does about 11 trips to Kumasi every weekend; it tells you that many people love to fly rather than use buses for long journeys because of convenience. We need to sustain the interest of these people, as there would be passengers ready for this airport revolution I am pushing for.
“When you take a look at the master-plan, domestic airlines will be given the opportunity to do domestic transit before they get to their destination; so you can have one airline do three or four regional capitals in a single journey. This would attract more players into the airline business, as it would become more lucrative and push fares down,” he said.
He further made the case for how important such a move would be to enhance the nation’s security apparatus. “Airports would facilitate quick evacuation in case of any disaster. The security importance of having an airport in every region is huge. The nation needs to be ambitious to accelerate its development. I am happy about the Cape Coast Airport; some of the people against it will acknowledge its benefit when it is completed and opens up the Central Region.”
