President John Dramani Mahama says the construction of a new airport in Wa will significantly improve travel between the Upper West Region and the national capital.
He said the project is intended to make domestic air travel more efficient and reduce the long hours residents of the region currently spend travelling by road to Accra.
According to President Mahama, the journey from Wa to Accra by road can take between nine and ten hours, whereas the same journey by air could be completed in approximately one hour and fifteen minutes.
“It should not take nine or ten hours to drive from Wa to Accra when the same journey can be completed in about one hour and fifteen minutes,” he said.
The President made the remarks during an inspection of the proposed Wa Airport site at the end of his two-day Resetting Ghana Tour of the Upper West Region.
He said a functional airport would not only benefit passengers but would also make it easier for people to conduct business, travel for important engagements and return home without spending several days on the road.
President Mahama said government’s objective is to connect every part of Ghana through efficient domestic air travel.
He noted that improved air connectivity could also contribute to economic activity by making it easier for investors, businesses and professionals to move between the Upper West Region and other parts of the country.
The President disclosed that financing for the new airport had already been secured by the Ghana Airports Company and that procurement had been completed, with contractors selected for the project.
He said construction would begin soon after the contractor mobilises to site.
The facility will also have modern navigational equipment and runway lighting, allowing aircraft to land safely during both daytime and nighttime operations.
President Mahama said the project would therefore represent an important step towards integrating the Upper West Region more closely into Ghana’s domestic air transport network.
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh(#RomeoWrites✍️)/ Presidential Affairs Correspondent | Ghana 🇬🇭