Over the years, inhabitants of the Ashanti Region have been calling on authorities to initiate monumental projects in the region.
In line with this, residents of Kumasi were excited when President Akufo-Addo cut sod for the construction of the second phase of the Kumasi Airport Project which will enhance international travels.
Contractors working on the project say it is 75 percent complete. The British High Commissioner to Ghana and the Mayor of Kumasi want inhabitants to embrace the new opportunities that the airport expansion project offers them.
President Akufo-Addo in June 2018 cut sod for work to begin on the second phase of the Kumasi Airport Project. The project, which is estimated at 66.3 million Euros was expected to be completed in 24 months but for the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nonetheless, the contractors have assured that they are working to ensure that work is completed as early as possible.
The project Manager for Contracta Construction UK limited, Alan Frazeto, said “currently, we have done 75% of the project. It includes engineering, procurement and construction. We are expecting to release the terminal itself for the operation of the public from March, 2022. After that, we will have the tower control which extends from the runway that should last up to October next year”
He made this statement when the British High Commissioner to Ghana, Iain Walker, visited the facility to inspect the level of progress.
As a UK organization working on the project, the High Commissioner said the UK government is committed to working with the Ghanaian government in embarking on similar projects to engineer economic growth.
Mr. Iain Walker was hopeful the project when completed will boost economic growth considering the strategic position of Kumasi in that part of the country.
“I think we all know that Kumasi is already a hub. People travel from Mali, they come from Burkina Faso and they come across the region… they come from within Ghana. Kumasi is a natural meeting point and has been probably for centuries, certainly for generations. I think as a result of COVID-19, clearly, travelling contracted for a while. But we firmly expect and hope that people start to travel again to give the opportunity for Kumasi to reconnect so much to the sub-region and to enable businesses and people here to do business and to transact in the world. The next challenge is that we will make sure that it is used and used fully, and I hope and expect it to”
The Mayor of Kumasi, Osei Assibey Antwi, said the project comes with a number of opportunities for the residents.
“This project is going to serve as an economic enhancing project, that is to transform the economy of this region and the economy of this country. Knowing very well that, with this airport coming in, it is going to bounce back the city. It is going to bounce back the city’s tourism industry, and at the same time, Kumasi is known as a business city, and we were spending a lot because, every time you have to go to Accra.”
“It is like Accra was Ghana and Ghana was Accra, but now, with the coming in of this airport, it is going to reduce the expenditure to do business and at the same time it’s going to fast track the coming into this city tourists, and by so doing, it’s going to enhance the economy of this city. Hotels are going to bounce back because people will be traveling far and near to come and sleep in the various hotels to board the flight for the international world”.
