The Executive Director of Northern Patriots in Research and Advocacy (NORPRA), Bismarck Adongo Ayorogo, has urged residents of the Upper East Region to look beyond statistics and support the development of a regional airport.
Speaking to Gerard Asagi on the Day Break Upper East Show, Mr. Ayorogo responded to an article written by a native of the region, Azure Imoro Abdulai, who opposed the airport’s construction. Mr. Abdulai cited an Auditor-General’s report highlighting the financial struggles of existing regional airports in Ghana.
In his article, Mr. Abdulai argued, “According to the Auditor-General’s findings, the five existing regional airports in Kumasi, Tamale, Sunyani, Ho, and Wa are struggling to generate revenue that justifies their operational costs. The numbers paint a grim picture. For instance, Kumasi Airport spent GH¢15.68 million but only generated GH¢8.22 million in revenue. Tamale Airport raked in GH¢4.74 million yet had an expenditure of GH¢15.41 million.”
He continued, “Sunyani Airport earned a meager GH¢95,626.58 after an expenditure of GH¢4.53 million. Ho Airport, which shockingly recorded zero revenue, still had an expenditure of GH¢1.38 million. Wa Airport generated GH¢77,250.48 but had an operational cost of GH¢2.15 million. Given these figures, it would be difficult to argue that another regional airport in Bolgatanga would fare any better. If well-established cities like Kumasi and Tamale struggle to make their airports commercially viable, what guarantees does Bolgatanga have of bucking this trend?”
However, Mr. Ayorogo expressed concern that opposition to the airport is based solely on financial data without considering the broader economic and developmental benefits.
“They are not interrogating beyond the statistics. They are not asking about the other benefits that come along with the facility. It is a narrow scope of analysis,” he argued.
He shared personal experiences where potential investors lost interest in the region because they were unwilling to fly to Tamale and then endure a two-hour road journey to Bolgatanga. According to him, a regional airport would improve investor confidence, boost trade, and enhance accessibility, ultimately driving economic growth in the Upper East Region.
Addressing concerns that the airport project would divert attention from other pressing developmental needs, Mr. Ayorogo dismissed the argument as unfounded.
“Why are we doing this to ourselves? The conversation about the airport is not mutually exclusive from other development projects. Nowhere in the 1992 Constitution does it state that if the people of the Upper East Region receive an airport, they lose their right to demand other forms of development,” he emphasized.
Mr. Ayorogo reaffirmed that advocating for an airport does not mean abandoning other developmental needs. Instead, he urged stakeholders to adopt a broader perspective, recognizing the transformative impact the facility could have on the region’s future.
Source: A1Radioonline.com | 101.1MHz | Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith | Bolgatanga
