The
Minister of Transport, Hon. Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, has declared the Sunyani
Airport a fit for purpose facility after concluding his last inspection tour on
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).
Subsequent to 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. 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 aircrafts can come here. We are going to ensure that this
airport meets the best standard in the aviation industry and is fit for
purpose. Now the aircrafts 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 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, and 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 onboard.
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.
Source:Peacefmonline