Business News of Monday, 3 November 2003

Source: GNA

Govt will not privatise Ghana Airways - Anane

Kumasi, Nov 3, GNA - Dr Richard Anane, the Minister of Roads and Highways, has said that the government has no intention of privatising Ghana Airways.
The government, he said, would rather support the airline to be self-reliant.

Dr Anane, MP for Bantama was addressing supporters of the NPP at Patase in the Bantama constituency in Kumasi on Sunday to explain government policies and programmes to them and also to listen to their concerns.

He said when the government took over the administration of the country Ghana Airways was indebted to the tune of 475 billion cedis.

He said in 2001 the debt was reduced to 242 billion cedis and that through the dynamic leadership of President J A Kufuor the airline made a profit of 16 billion cedis from June to July 2002.

Dr Anane said most of the feeder roads in the country would be rehabilitated before the end of 2004 to attract investors and tourists into the country and also facilitate the easy evacuation of cocoa and foodstuffs.

He said with assistance from China and Holland the government will import more buses to support the metro mass transport system to solve the acute transportation problem facing workers in the cities and urban areas.
He urged Ghanaians to patronise the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to ensure easy access to quality health care.