President John Dramani Mahama has announced that construction of a new airport for Wa in the Upper West Region will commence soon, following the completion of procurement and the selection of contractors for the project.
According to the President, the Ghana Airports Company has secured the funds required to execute the project, meaning government is not currently seeking financing for the construction.
President Mahama made the announcement when he inspected the proposed airport site at Wa to conclude his two-day Resetting Ghana Tour of the Upper West Region.
He explained that the existing facility had outlived its usefulness and was essentially an airstrip rather than a modern airport.
“The old facility, which we called an airport, was really an airstrip and it was no longer fit for purpose,” he said.
President Mahama noted that at a point, the main Wa-Nadowli road even crossed the runway, creating safety concerns. The road was subsequently diverted and the runway fenced.
He said successive governments had considered the construction of a new airport for the region, but the availability of resources had now created an opportunity to turn the long-standing proposal into reality.
“We are therefore not looking for financing because the money is already available. We have completed the procurement process, and the contractors have been selected,” he stated.
The President said the people of Wa would soon see construction activities begin at the site.
He added that once the contractor officially mobilises, government would return to the site for the sod-cutting ceremony to formally commence construction.
The new airport, he said, would be fitted with modern navigational facilities and runway lighting to enable aircraft to operate safely both during the day and at night.
President Mahama said the project forms part of government’s broader objective of improving domestic air connectivity and linking communities across Ghana through efficient air travel.
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh(#RomeoWrites✍️)/ Presidential Affairs Correspondent | Ghana 🇬🇭
