The Member of Parliament for Akim Swedru, Kennedy Osei Nyarko of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has pushed back against the government’s presentation of the Accra International Airport expansion as a new initiative, saying the core project was contracted and started under the previous Akufo-Addo administration.
The dispute was triggered by a post on April 3, 2026, by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister of State for Government Communications, in which he announced that the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) would begin construction this month on an ultra-modern concourse connecting Terminals 2 and 3 at Accra International Airport. According to Kwakye Ofosu, the new concourse will include five passenger boarding bridges, five passenger holding areas, bi-directional travelators, five new escalators and elevators, a VIP lounge, four business lounges, and four new retail and duty-free pods, among other facilities.
Responding via social media, Kennedy Osei Nyarko said the framing of the announcement was misleading and amounted to claiming credit for work that began before the current government took office.
“In March 2024, the Akufo-Addo administration through GACL contracted Amandi to renovate and refurbish Terminal 2 and link it to Terminal 3. This project started late 2024 before the previous administration exited office,” the MP wrote, adding that the contractor had already received payments under the Akufo-Addo government for initial works completed. “It will be disingenuous for anyone to create any impression that the project is a new project which is just about to commence,” he stated.
Osei Nyarko acknowledged that the Mahama administration had added to the project’s scope, saying the government awarded an additional contract to the same contractor, Amandi, for the extension and expansion of the runway to accommodate wider body aircraft. He framed this as the substantive new contribution of the current government, distinct from the ongoing Terminal 2 renovation and concourse works.
The existence of the Amandi contract and its origins have not yet been independently confirmed by GACL or the Ministry of Transport. However, Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe confirmed in March 2026, during a working visit to the airport, that Amandi is the contractor for the expansion and remodelling of Terminal 2, consistent with the MP’s account of the company’s involvement.
The Terminal 2 project, valued at US$18 million, is expected to transform the facility into a dual-purpose terminal capable of accommodating both domestic and international flights, with a completion target of July 2026. The Minister said the project formed part of the government’s broader vision to modernise the country’s aviation infrastructure and position Ghana’s main international gateway among the best airports in the sub-region and across Africa.
The political disagreement over credit reflects a familiar pattern in Ghanaian governance, where infrastructure projects initiated under one administration and continued under another become contested terrain. Both parties agree the project is proceeding. The substantive dispute is about which government deserves recognition for setting it in motion.
NewsGhana has contacted GACL for a response on the timeline and contracting history of the project and will update this report when a reply is received.
