In the second half of 2019, the aviation sector should continue to enjoy strong growth as international passenger traffic at Terminal three of the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) per day now averages between 8,000 to 9,000 passengers.

This current trend is happening in view of the government efforts to make the country an aviation hub in the sub-region.

The current statistics were revealed by the Minister for Aviation, Joseph Kofi Adda during the 2019 Sector Mid-Year Performance Review Conference of the Ministry, in Accra on Wednesday.

“This means that the sector is growing and the demand for air travel is growing with it. It is therefore expected that the annual passenger throughput for 2019 would most likely meet the three million passenger target for KIA,” the Minister said.

“Suffice it to say that the domestic passenger throughput is equally doing tremendously well,” He added.

During the first quarter of 2019, the total domestic passenger throughput and aircraft movement increased by 66,594 passengers and 1,840 flights, representing 76.5 percent and 90 percent growth, respectively, compared to the performance during the same period in 2018.

Likewise, the international air traffic statistics showed a 6.3 percent increase in Passenger Throughput, as well as one percent, 7.5 percent and 0.5 percent increases in Freight Movement, Aircraft Movement, and Transit, respectively.

The international passenger throughput increased by 29,566 passengers, whereas Freight Movement, Aircraft Movement, and Transit increased by about 119 metric tonnes, 519 flights and 249 passengers, respectively.


Home-Based Carrier

Mr. Adda stated that government’s quest of making the country an aviation hub in the sub-region is duly on course.

“It is our expectation that in the next couple of months we shall be launching the much-awaited Home-Based Carrier (HBC). The HBC as you may all be aware, once established will be connecting various African cities and advancing our vision of making Ghana the hub within the Sub-Region.”

He noted that the participating stakeholders in the HBC are coming on board with expertise, professionalism and well-grounded experience that will add value to the airline and champion the cause of socio-economic growth to the country.