National Airport System Plan In The Offing

A comprehensive and integrated national airport system plan is being prepared to address Ghana’s transportation needs.

The plan would take into consideration land use and environmental issues, Mrs Dzifa Aku Attivor, Minister of Transport, said this at the meet-the-press series organised in Accra, on Tuesday, to highlight the activities, achievements and the challenges facing the Ministry.

Mrs Attivor said the Ministry was also reviewing the current aviation regulatory framework to prepare all necessary guidelines that would enable the growth and development of the air transport industry in Ghana.

On the status of work at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) expansion project, she said, the entire KIA Phase III Expansion project was about 47 per cent complete.

She said the construction of the Southern Apron for wide-bodied aircraft and the construction of additional storage tanks at KIA was also about 86 and 80 per cent complete respectively.

“Installation of additional baggage handling and screening system (Baggage Carouse/Check-In Desk) is 70 per cent complete; reconstruction of taxiway is about 55 per cent complete; rehabilitation and extension of fuel mains is 40 per cent complete; and provision of Aeronautical Ground Lighting is 40 per cent complete”, she said.

Mrs Attivor said the installation of an ultra-modern Instrument Landing System has been completed at KIA to replace the old one destroyed by the Allied Cargo Air crash last year.

“A multi-purpose air traffic stimulator has been installed at the Ghana Aviation Training Academy and the construction of a 7-storey Ghana Aviation Training Academy complex building is about 80 per cent complete,” she said.

On Maritime and Inland Waterway Sub-Sector, the Minister announced that the Ministry had acquired three 50-seater High Speed Passenger Ferries and one Modular passenger/Freight Vessel to be delivered by the end of the year for deployment at the various ferry crossings on the Volta Lake.

She said preparation of a medium-term master plan for transportation on the Volta Lake and its surrounding regions was currently on-going and the draft interim report has been submitted by the consultant for review by stakeholders.

The Minister said the extension of the railway lines in the Accra/Tema metropolis are almost complete and feasibility studies of the Eastern Railway Line and the Inland Port has been completed.

Another feasibility study would also be undertaken for the possible introduction of Tram services in the Accra and Tema metropolis.

She noted that the road transport sub-sector has recorded encouraging road safety records in the first half of 2013.

She said as at June this year, 6,839 crashes, representing 4.6 per cent reduction of 2012 figures were recorded, which led to 1,119 deaths and 6,463 injuries, representing 2.1 per cent and 7.2 per cent reduction in deaths and injuries respectively.

The Minister urged all stakeholders to intensify the awareness campaign to help reduce the carnage on the roads.