Residents in the Central Region, especially Cape Coast say they prefer the creation of jobs for the teeming unemployed youth in the area and not the building of an airport as promised by the Akufo-Addo goverment.
Speaking at the launch of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) 2020 Manifesto in Cape Coast on Saturday Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia promised that the Akufo-Addo government during its second term will build a harbour and an airport in the coastal town.
“For the people of Cape Coast, I have good news for you. We are building a new harbour in Cape Coast and a new airport in Cape Coast,” he said.
At the manifesto launch, Dr Bawumia noted that building an airport in Cape Coast was very critical in the support of what he described as one of the country’s major tourist and economic hubs.
“An airport makes a lot of sense in Cape Coast. It’s a real tourist hub and between Greater Accra, Kumasi and Cape Coast you have a triangle that really is a hub for economic activities,” he said.
The residents in an interview with Kasapa FM News Yaw Boagyan stated that building an airport in Cape Coast is a misplaced priority. Instead the need construction of factories to reduce the high unemployment rate in the area.
“There are a lot of people unemplyed in this area and we need work to do so we can feed ourselves and other dependants. For us, building an airport here is not necessary. We’ll be happy if more industries are built,” Ato Hayford said.
Another resident added: “Building an airport may be good but it should be distance future viosion. Of what importance will an airport be to the many people here who have no jobs and struggle to feed themselves,” Araba Hayford asked.
Some of the residents suspect that their chiefs must have made the request of building an airport in Cape Coast to the President, insisting that the project is not a priority.