THE SAFETY of air travelers using the Tamale airport has been compromised due to extensive damage on the main runway.

The damaged area measuring nearly 30 square feet is about 201.1 meters away from the touchdown point.

Following the destruction believed to have occurred last Monday soon after the landing of a charter flight, airport management barricaded portions of the thresholds of the main 023 runway.

The destroyed portions of the airport are at the 05 thresholds about 150 meters to the main runway, a situation which could cause a disaster if pilots are not extremely careful.

Some airline operators who pleaded anonymity told DAILY GUIDE, the entire runway could be destroyed if management failed to resolve the problem soon.

Whereas some blamed the damage on the frequent landing of jet planes at an airport constructed for propeller flights, others said the inefficiency of management in enforcing various laws was the main cause.

When reached for comment, Airport Manager, Julius Arkoh vented his spleen on this reporter for ‘visiting airspace without permit.’

He admitted the destruction on portions of the runway but failed to give further details except to say it had not affected air travel to and from the region.

He would neither confirm nor deny that the runway was peeled off following the landing of a charter flight last Monday but said the defects were being worked on.

Mr. Arkoh could also not give a definite date when repair works will be complete.

Meanwhile a team of officials from the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) led by its Chief Operating Officer visited the airport early Thursday to assess the extent of damage.

The Tamale Airport was upgraded to the status of an international airport with all the necessary facilities in December 2008.

Some of these facilities included the construction of a runway, taxi ways and aprons, a terminal, modified fire service building, rehabilitation of the tower building, car park and VVIP lounge.

Others were the provision of offices for the Customs, Excise and Preventive Services (CEPS) and the Ghana Immigration Service.

The airport has since then received some international flights from South Africa, Tunisia and Angola during the CAN 2008 African Cup of Nations tournament.

Tamale Airport was founded as a main advanced operational base for troops during World War II. The landing strip was acquired at Nyohene some two miles west of Tamale in December 1940.

It is used for both civil and military operations and for special international flights.