The Minister of Transport, Mr Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, has declared the Sunyani Airport a fit-for-purpose facility after concluding his last inspection tour of the facility on Tuesday, July 19, 2022, with a team of experts from the Ghana Airports Company (GAC), the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the Ghana Air Force.
The facility, he concluded, is now ready for operations after assessing all the works that were carried out by the contractor, Resources Access Limited on phase one of the Sunyani Airport Rehabilitation Project commenced in 2018 by the Akufo-Addo-led government.
However, he was quick to add that the airport would be commissioned when the aerial coordinates are thoroughly assessed and approved by the Ghana Air Force and subsequently certified by the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).
After that, there would be test runs to ensure that the runway and other facilities to ensure safe landing and takeoffs of aircraft have met all aviation standards.
“Thankfully, the contractor has completed his work and we are waiting for operations of the airlines to commence. But in the aviation industry, there are rules and regulations. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has some standards for any airport to meet based on their regulations before commencing operations. That is why we have brought a team of experts from the Ghana Civil Aviation, Ghana Airports Company Limited and the Ghana Air Force to come and inspect the facility to determine if all the regulations requirements have been met”, he noted.
The Transport Minister made these observations when he interacted with journalists moments after his team of experts have thoroughly assessed the GHS48million airport project.
He was accompanied by a deputy Minister of Transport, Hassan Tampuli Sulemana, NPP Member of Parliament (MP) for Sunyani East and Board Chairman of Bui Power Plant, Kwasi Ameyaw-Cheremeh, NPP MP for Sunyani East and Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Ignatius Baffour Awuah, Bono Regional Chairman of NPP, Kwame Baffour, aka ‘Abronye’, the Bono Regional Minister, Justina Owusu Banahene and the Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive, Kusi Boadum.
Commenting further, he said the Ministry of Transport will always ensure that ICAO’s regulatory standards are met to avert any fatalities.
“The Sunyani Airport was closed down in 2015 when the runway got deteriorated and became not fit for purpose. The aviation industry is a very high regulatory industry and if you miss the standards, it means human lives are at stake. That is why the airport was closed down for renovation works to commence to meet ICAO standards. Now what we have done is to ensure that the aircraft can come here. We are going to ensure that this airport meets the best standard in the aviation industry and is fit for its purpose. Now the aircraft can come in and will not pose any danger to anyone”, he said.
A team of experts from the Ghana Air Force that accompanied the Transport Minister to Sunyani to assess the aerial coordinates got down to work. They flew in a Ghana Air Force helicopter which had carried the Minister and his entourage from Accra and got suspended in the air for about twenty (20) minutes before landing.
“It is air route and the aircraft before landing, there are certain altitude and coordinates that have to be maintained. So, that is basically, we are going up to confirm the route and send the report to GCAA for certification”, said the Group Captain, Gervase Wienaa, Director of Engineering, Ghana Air Force.
Findings of their report are expected to be given to the GCAA for study and certification.
Commenting on the facility, the Director of Projects & Operations, Resources Access, Abdul Salam Zabilila Alhassan, said they are delighted to have accomplished their task having demarcated the scratches to increase friction on the runway as well as completing the markings on the runway.
“We are now waiting for the airport to get the regulators to certify the facility”, he noted.
A deputy Director-General, Technical of the GCAA, Mr Daniel Acquah, also commenting on the airport facility said, he was impressed with the work done by Resources Access Limited, believing that some aircraft would commence operations in a few days.
The Managing Director of Ghana Airports Company, Pamela Djamson-Tettey, on her part said “We are delighted to be here today feeling very proud that our airport is ready to start operations. We believe that the contractor and the consultant have delivered on time to a very high standard. We are just waiting to start operations because it means a lot to us as Ghana Airports to be able to earn the revenue that comes from a key place like Sunyani. Have received a lot of requests from some domestic airlines wanting to operate the route. So, we are thrilled that today, as we are here to do the inspection, we will go back with good news and in a few days, the airport will be up and running, like all our other airports. It will earn us good money”.
The Bono Regional Minister, Justina Owusu Banahene, also commenting on the facility, said Passion Air has applied to operate the Sunyani-Accra route and other destinations. She was hopeful that some other airlines will come on board.
Rehabilitation of the Sunyani Airport Phase 1 project began in 2019. It was expected to have completed by end of May 2021 to pave the way for the safe landing and takeoff of aircraft. However, due to the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus, works on the facility had to be suspended until the country returned to normal life.
