The Kotoka International Airport, Ghana’s only international airport has handled less number of passengers than the figure projected by the end of 2013.
A feasibility report prepared by a US-based company, LPA group for the Ghana Airports Company in 2012 had projected that after expansion, the airport was expected to handle 5.2 million passengers by 2013. The estimates were based on 2010 figures. An increase of approximately 400 per cent on 2010 figures and 49,325 tonnes of freight (up from 46,480 in 2010) were expected.
The report indicated that the expansion was estimated to cost $405 million.
In the State of the Nation Address delivered to Parliament Thursday February 26, 2015, President John Mahama said “massive investment continues to be made to further develop and upgrade the country’s aviation infrastructure.” He didn’t state the amount of funds that have been invested over all.
He stated the number of flights at “our airports” without being specific. “Last year over 40,000 flights were recorded at our airports. In the same period total passenger throughput stood at over 2.5 million compared with a little over 1.3 million in 2009. This represents an almost 100% increase,” he said.
Ghana has one international airport and three domestic airports. The Kotoka International Airport in Accra, the Kumasi Airport, the Tamale Airport and the Takoradi Airport.
The figures provided by the president if those are from all the airports, then the Kotoka Internatinal Airport, did not meet half of the projected number of passengers expected by 2013.
According to the President the Arrival Hall expansion project in Terminal 2 at the international airport is nearing completion and parts of the new arrival hall have in fact been opened for use. It will be fully completed this year, he said.
“Work will also start by the second quarter of this year on an ultra-modern International Terminal to be known as Terminal 3,” he said.
By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi