Cecilia Abena Dapaah inspecting facilities at the Airport
The Sunyani Airport, which was established in the 1960s for domestic flights, has not been functioning since March 2016 due to the deplorable nature of the runway.
The closure of the airport is also due to encroachment along the runway and deplorable condition of the infrastructure.
Owing to the situation, only emergency medical evacuation and presidential flights are allowed at the airport.
The Airport Manager, Maxwell Quarshie, told the Minister of Aviation, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, that the airport was closed to traffic last year due to the deplorable condition of the runway and encroachment.
Ms Dapaa, who was accompanied by aviation technical expert and the Brong Ahafo Regional Minster, Kweku Asomah-Chermeh, inspected the facilities at the Sunyani Airport to obtain first-hand information about the situation.
She also inspected the airport fire station, VIP launch, control tower and other facilities at the airport.
The Minister later held discussions with management and the staff and told them of government’s plans to open up the country to air traffic.
‘If findings reveal that it will cost more to rehabilitate the airport, then government will prefer to build a new airport at any convenient place in the region.
She also learnt of litigation over the ownership of the airport land between Odumasi No 1 and Awua Dumase, otherwise called Odumase No 2.
The name Sunyani Airport is also creating confusion between the people of Odumase and Sunyani.
This is because the airport is not situated on Sunyani land but Odumase. Due to this, the minister and his entourage pay courtesy calls on traditional council at Odumase and reiterated government’s intention to address encroachment.
The Omanhene of Awua Dumase, Nana Kwame Koraang VI, told the minister that they were not happy with the way in which the government had treated them so far.
He said they would discuss the issue of compensation and expansion of the airport with government.
From Daniel Y Dayee, Sunyani
