Business News of Thursday, 1 May 2003

Source: Independent

Ghanair To Collapse Soon

... Airline Operates 94 Bank Accounts ...
... Minister Anane Lied About Recovery...

The Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Ghana Airways, Roland Wobil Mosore has warned that the company would collapse in the next two months if steps were not taken by the government to salvage it. He said currently only one DC 10 out of the company’s five aeroplanes operates.

This is in sharp contrast to a statement made, two months ago, by the then Minister for Roads and Transport, Richard Winfred Anane, that Ghana Airways was gradually recovering from the problems that had bedeviled the national carrier for so many years. (READ).

According to Mr. Mosore, two DC 10s were packed in Rome, Italy because of lack of funds to run them and one DC 9 was also packed at the Kotoka International Airport awaiting sea clearance.

Mr Mosore explained that currently, Ghana Airways depended solely on the sales of tickets to fuel the DC 10 due to lack of funds.

Again the management of the aircraft rush for bank overdraft at the end of every month before workers’ salaries are paid.

Mr Mosore was addressing a press conference organized by the Senior Staff Association and the Union to brief the media on the current state of affairs of the company.

He therefore called on government to inject some capital into the company to salvage it from collapse.

The workers also called on government to immediately dissolve the board and reconstitute a new one to save the airline from its worsening troubles. According to them, there have been no restructuring programmes to redeem the airline from its current problems since the Board was constituted.

Ghanair Operates 94 Bank Accounts

Yet another document obtained by the Independent newspaper has revealed that Ghana Airways operates as many as 94 bank accounts within and outside Ghana.
For an airline that flies to the United States, London, Germany, Italy and the West Coast (about 11 airports in all), financial experts the paper spoke to were in agreement that it is ridiculous and betrays either a breakdown in the airline’s management information systems or represents a conscious attempt on the part of officials of the airline to corrupt themselves.
What the paper could not obtain as at press time are the names of the officials who authorized those accounts to be opened for the airline and the specific reasons why the airline could behave in such financially irresponsible manner.