The appointment of Ghana Airports Company Limited’s Managing Director, Yaw Kwakwa, has been terminated. A letter from the Transport Ministry dated February 4, 2022 indicated that President Akufo-Addo had directed that the MD’s appointment be terminated with immediate effect.
“His Excellency the President of the Republic, per letter No. OPS127/22/104 dated 31st January 2022, has directed that the appointment of Yaw Kwakwa as Managing Director of the Ghana Airports Company Limited be terminated,” it stated. The letter instructed the Board Chairman of GACL to take the necessary steps to give effect to the directive.
The Ghana Airports Company has been in the news recently, following the back and forth with McDan Aviation on launching the latter’s private jet services at Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
On Friday, January 28, 2022, McDan Aviation – the aviation subsidiary of the McDan Group of Companies – opened Ghana’s first private jet terminal at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) in Accra. The private jet terminal was to position and deepen the country’s quest to be the sub-region’s gateway for business and investment purposes.
McDan Aviation intended to kickstart its commercial private jet services with three airplanes and one helicopter, while arrangements were in place for the acquisition of other aircraft including a Challenger 604 Bombardier, a Gulfstream jet and helicopters, to offer air-ambulance medical services as well as domestic tourism.
However, a letter from the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) signed by the MD ordered McDan Aviation to suspend the Private Jet lounge operations at Terminal 1 of the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) over concerns of McDan breaching the laid-down procedure after procuring its licence to operate in 2019.
It also said it had directed McDan to call off the launch, but the company ignored it and went ahead to hold the ceremony. “We refer to our earlier discussions and subsequent directive to suspend inauguration of the Private Jet Terminal at Kotoka International Airport (KIA) until all the necessary operational requirements and obligations are met,” the letter stated.
Later, McDan wrote back to the Ghana Airport Company that it was suspending operation to make way for a thorough engagement.
“We are writing to officially inform you about our decision to suspend our operations at the Fixed Base Operator Terminal with immediate effect. This has become necessary to pave the way for us to thoroughly engage your outfit and all the key stakeholders on the way forward,” Daniel Mckorley, Group CEO of McDan Group, reiterated in the letter addressed to the Managing Director of GACL.
