The President of Ghana, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo has said that while land to be used for the Upper East Regional Airport has been identified, the government is yet to secure the land.
While it is unclear from the President’s statement where the land has been identified, he said plans are underway to secure same.
The President, speaking on GBC’s URA Radio in an interview monitored by this website explained that the issues about the land and some other internal issues are to blame for the delay in the construction of the Upper East Regional Airport.
“Land has been identified but the site has not yet been secured. That is the first thing that I have to say upfront. Part of it were internal reasons within the government.”
“The original choice [of location] that was when the first Minister for Aviation, who is today’s Sanitation Minister was made was changed by her successor to a site nearer Navrongo. I think nearer Paga.”
The President continued to say that the site at Paga had concerns. This is because the plans would have to use Burkina Faso’s airspace, a situation “that is not acceptable for a domestic airport. Because, even domestic flights would have to go to another country before they come in.”
“So in the end, the site that has been secured was the one that was proposed. The final examination of the feasibility and final decisions have yet not been made.”
The President indicated that once the preparatory works have been done, a clearer timetable can be made to ensure the construction of the facility.
In a recent interview, the Upper East Regional Minister, Stephen Yakubu, in an exclusive interview with A1 Radio, gave a firm indication that stakeholders have finally settled on having the airport situated at Sumbrungu.
A decision, he said is final.
“As a proactive minister, I have already brought 2 contractors there already; private contractors. They have taken stock [of the site] and have gone back. I have organised meetings. We have met with the Transport Ministry, CEO of the Ghana Airport Company. We are working on it. People should just keep praying that this party stays in power for long and all their problems would be solved.”
“A committee was set up to come out with a report. The report has been completed and they have settled on Sumbrungu. That is the final location because that is the recommendation of the committee,” he said.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
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