Following the confirmation of Sumbrungu, as the final location decided upon for the construction of the Upper East Regional Airport, it came to light that some private individuals and organisations have shown interest in the yet-to-be established facility.
It would be recalled that Alhaji Abubakar Inusah, the Chief Director at the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council made this revelation when he spoke on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show with Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith today, Tuesday, August 23, 2022.
“Quite recently, we received investors, prospective investors interested in the Bolgatanga airport,” he said.
Alhaji Inusah was confident that an investment in the completion of the Upper East Regional Airport would mean enhanced development for the region.
“If that [the investment] comes to fruition, we will take the market from Tamale. [This is] because all the Burkinabes and all other people would fly from here instead of going to Tamale.”
Beyond the three investors who have already shown interest, Mr. Yakubu said, “if anybody has or knows anybody who thinks that he wants to build an airport, please, let us have the people and let’s see what we can do to bring an airport to the Upper East Region.
There were however concerns from sections of the public about the involvement of the private sector in the establishment of a public airport.
When the Upper East Regional Minister, Stephen Yakubu spoke to Mark Smith recently on the Day Break Upper East Show, he mentioned that the terms under which the private investors would be engaged in the building of the Upper East Regional Hospital is yet to be defined.
“Some private people have come on board. They have expressed interest and we are pursuing it. They are looking for funding. This is where we are. Three different companies have looked at it. They have expressed interest and we are working on it. This is something I want to do. I have spoken to the President, the Vice President and everybody else. Anytime they come here, I put it before them. They agree with me that we need to do it.”
“We are looking at all the scenarios. These people who have shown interest, not only have come to see the place, they have also gone to the Ministry. Personally, I have met with the CEO and manager of the Ghana Airports Company and we are moving on with that. It is also going to be the government that will decide what the funding source would be. But for now, this is the state we are in, about the airport.”
Mr. Yakubu however mentioned that it may take quite some time before actual construction begins. The project is expected to cost up to 40 million USD.
“It takes a very long time to be able to set all these things up and to make sure that we have it right, especially concerning the funding. It is not a very big project. It is about 35 to 40 million USD,” he said.
The Upper East Regional Minister explained that it was unfortunate, all the politics that surrounded the construction of the airport, thus the delay.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
