By Jeorge Wilson KINGSON
Three out of the 12 airports and airstrips in the country are to undergo total rehabilitation and major expansions soon, including the Kumasi, Sunyani and Takoradi airports.
A loan agreement of US$122 million has been approved by Parliament for these projects. The fund would be used to extend the run-way and apron lighting for night operations, upgrade power generation systems, construction of new VIP lounges, construction of new passenger bridges, and the refurbishment of control towers at the selected air terminals.
BusinessWeek learnt that the extension of the Kumasi airport run-way is to enable it accommodate large commercial liners and serves as back-up to international operations in case of emergency at the Kotoka International Airport.
Meanwhile, the rehabilitation of the Takoradi airport would facilitate and boost transportation in the Western region, especially in the event of crude oil production in the near future.
The credit facility from GK Airports Company Limited has a 70% annual interest rate, a local bank guarantee of 2% per annum, two-year grace period, a 10-year repayment period and a 12-year maturity period.
According to the Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei, government has agreed to assign $20 per passenger out of the Airport Passenger Service Charge (APSC) levied upon international passengers utilizing the KIA as a primary means for the repayment of the credit.
Ghana has twelve airports and airstrips seven of which have paved runways. KIA is the largest and only airport that handles international operations with an average annual Passenger traffic estimated at over one million.
Three out of the 12 airports and airstrips in the country are to undergo total rehabilitation and major expansions soon, including the Kumasi, Sunyani and Takoradi airports.
A loan agreement of US$122 million has been approved by Parliament for these projects. The fund would be used to extend the run-way and apron lighting for night operations, upgrade power generation systems, construction of new VIP lounges, construction of new passenger bridges, and the refurbishment of control towers at the selected air terminals.
BusinessWeek learnt that the extension of the Kumasi airport run-way is to enable it accommodate large commercial liners and serves as back-up to international operations in case of emergency at the Kotoka International Airport.
Meanwhile, the rehabilitation of the Takoradi airport would facilitate and boost transportation in the Western region, especially in the event of crude oil production in the near future.
The credit facility from GK Airports Company Limited has a 70% annual interest rate, a local bank guarantee of 2% per annum, two-year grace period, a 10-year repayment period and a 12-year maturity period.
According to the Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Anthony Akoto Osei, government has agreed to assign $20 per passenger out of the Airport Passenger Service Charge (APSC) levied upon international passengers utilizing the KIA as a primary means for the repayment of the credit.
Ghana has twelve airports and airstrips seven of which have paved runways. KIA is the largest and only airport that handles international operations with an average annual Passenger traffic estimated at over one million.
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