The Aviation Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah has announced that the phase two of Tamale airport is set to start soon, as the funding for the project is almost done with.

She made this announcement when the family of the Late Lt. General Emmanuel Kwesi Kotoka, in whose name the country’s main airport is, paid a courtesy call at the ministry.

Dapaah further noted that there will be sod-cutting by the president for the second phase of Kumasi airport early next month.

The Ho and Wa airports are expected to be commissioned by the president in no time, she added.

Speaking of Kotoka International Airport (KIA), the minister said, “this government will do everything to make sure KIA assumes great prominence in the ECOWAS region and particularly Africa in general.

The project of turning the military base into an airport with a capacity of 500,000 passengers per year was completed in 1958.

The airport was originally named Accra International Airport.

In 1969, the airport was renamed Kotoka International Airport, in honour of the Lieutenant General, a member of the National Liberation Council (NLC).

Kotoka was killed in an abortive coup attempt at a location which is now the forecourt of the airport.

On March 1, 2016, the construction of Terminal 3 of KIA officially commenced at an estimated US$ 274 million, capable of handling 5 million passengers a year, with an expansion potential of up to 6.5 million, and will be equipped with new state-of-the-art facilities.

The new Terminal 3 will handle 1,250 passengers an hour, equipped with three business lounges, a large commercial and retail area and six boarding bridges.

The terminal 3 is expected to be completed by the end of this month.

Aviation Ministers alongside some family members who paid courtesy call
Members of the family that paid the courtesy call included Janet Awo Kotoka, Eric Atsu Kotoka, Harold Kotoka, Nada Kotoka and Rev Daniel Dartey