Cape Coast airport project already attracting investors, says Kofi Adda
The government says it has already secured land for construction of the much-touted Cape Coast airport in the Central Region
Joseph Kofi Adda, the Minister of Aviation, says investors are lining up with proposals to partner the government in building the Cape Coast airport. According to Adda, investors have already begun to show interest in helping to make the project a reality.
The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) unveiled plans to construct an airport near Cape Coast during its manifesto launch last month.
“We have had quite a number of interested partners who have come to discuss with us,” Adda told Citi FM.
“If you go to the Central Region, it is considered to be the tourism hub of Ghana. But how quickly do you get there?
“Should one drive three hours through the traffic at Kasoa to get there, or should it be ten to 15 or 30 minutes to get there by air?
“Should our school kids even sit on a bus for so long? How many times do we have an accident on the way? These are all opportunities for business people to decide.”
Negotiations ongoing
He said that although interest has been shown, no proposal has been accepted yet.
He was also quick to note that negotiations were ongoing with the businesses that have expressed interest in partnering the government for the airport project.
Adda added that a feasibility study is ongoing into the construction of the project, the West Central Airport.
“Let you and I not decide for the business investors. Let them come and assess and let them tell us whether they want to do it or not,” he said.
“For now, as we speak, there is no proposal before us. We are negotiating with them on the best way to go forward … so, in the end, they will decide whether they will put their money there or not.”
Land acquired
Meanwhile, Adda also confirmed that the government has already acquired land for building the airport.
In a separate interview with The Asaase Breakfast Show, Adda said the land is situated between Komenda and Shama in the Central Region.
He said the land earmarked for the airport project does not belong to the government, but private owners.
The ownership rights in the land will, therefore, be a “partnership” between the owners of the land and the state, he said.
The proposed building of an airport in Cape Coast has been criticised by a section of the public, but the government maintains that the project is necessary to boost tourism in the region.
E A Alanore
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