The Transport Minister, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, has announced that Kumasi International Airport is expected to begin full operations by the end of June this year.
He said this when he toured the project with management and board members of the Ghana Airport Company Limited on Tuesday.
He expressed satisfaction about the progress but raised concerns about the long-term maintenance of the facility.
It is expected that the official commissioning will be done by the end of May.
The facility, which has officially been handed over to Ghana Airports Company Limited, is currently undergoing equipment testing essential for both domestic and international flights.
The airport will accommodate over 800,000 passengers who travel abroad from the northern and middle belts of the country annually.
The Minister, speaking to journalists on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, expressed satisfaction about the progress but raised concerns about the long-term maintenance of the facility.
“My concern is not only about the edifice, [it is about] how we are going to put it to use and the maintenance level and how this thing will be functional so that our people will benefit from it. For me, that is where my concern is…We are planning to commission this facility before the end of May. We think that all things being equal we will be able to commission the facility.”
“But the fact that we commission doesn’t mean we will start operation. Because even if you commission it, you need to do more testing system and per the Ghana Airports, we are looking at by the end of June we should operationalise…All things being equal that is our timeline,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the contractors have announced plans to expand the runway and intend to demolish the old facilities once the new terminal is operational.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
