President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has expressed optimism that the vision to make Ghana an aviation hub in the sub-region will soon be a reality.

Speaking at the Opening Of the 28th Airport Council International (ACI) Africa Annual General Assembly Conference And Exhibition, On Tuesday, 15th October 2019, at the Kempinski Hotel, Accra, the president said Ghana’s aviation industry has seen considerable growth in recent years.

This he noted was made possible by the continuous creation of a stable political, social, and economic climate.

”In order to maximise the full potential and benefits of the aviation industry, upon my assumption of office in January 2017, I re-established the Aviation Ministry to develop the Ghanaian aviation industry, and make it competitive in West Africa, with the ultimate goal of making Ghana an aviation hub within the Region and beyond,” he said.

”Completed and ongoing aviation projects in all parts of the country re-assure me that this vision will soon be realised. We have started the construction of new aprons at the northern end of the Kotoka International Airport; the construction of new passenger Terminal Buildings for the Kumasi International Airport and the Tamale International Airport, alternatives to the Kotoka International Airport; and the rehabilitation of the Sunyani Airport,” he added.

He said: ”The progress being made in the aviation sector is ample evidence of our commitment to collaborate and cooperate with all industry stakeholders, and to champion the cause of global and regional policies such as the “No Country Left Behind Initiative”, the Single African Air Transport Market, and, thereby, enhance safety and security. Our efforts ensured that, in April this year, after the International Civil Aviation Organisation concluded its Coordinated Validation Mission, Ghana obtained an Effective Implementation Rate of 89.89%, the highest by an African country.

Furthermore, as a result of the strong policy initiatives by Government, and the adherence to high Airports Service Quality Standards at the various airports, ACI ranked the Kotoka International Airport as the best airport in West Africa and 6th in Africa in the last quarter of 2018. The airport has been ranked again 1st in West Africa, and 4th in Africa, in the first quarter of 2019,” he indicated.

His administration he stated has liberalised the regulatory framework in which the industry operates. In addition to this, we have abolished the 17.5% Value Added Tax (VAT) on domestic airfares, which has led to almost a doubling of domestic passenger traffic.

”International passenger numbers have grown by 6.7% as of September 2019, compared to 2018. Air freight movement has also increased by 5.9%. Currently, thirty-eight (38) airlines are operating in Ghana, and they connect directly to 30 different destinations around the globe. It is, thus, not a surprise that 1.3 million tourists visited Ghana in 2017, and the industry contributed $2.7 billion to our GDP. There was a slight decline in 2018, with an industry contribution of $2.5 billion to our GDP,” he said.