Deputy Minister for Aviation, Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, has announced that Wa Airport will commence commercial operations by the end of February 2018.
He made the announcement on the floor of Parliament last week Friday while answering a question posed by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wa Central constituency in the Upper Wast Region.
The Wa Central lawmaker, Mr Addul Rashid Pelpuo, asked the minister for aviation when Wa Airport will commence commercial operations to boost business in the region.
And in his reply, Mr Darko-Mensah said the airport was part of government’s effort to develop an aerodrome in each of the ten regions.
He indicated that the project was generally to develop the airport to serve as a catalyst for industrialisation and rapid socio-economic development of the Upper West Region.
The 2000 metre long and 45 metre wide runaway has been completed. The existing Centre for National Culture building has also been rehabilitated and remodelled into a terminal building.
“Mr Speaker, “In effect, a 100% overall project completion is achieved. The airside (runaway, apron etc.,) and landside (terminal building, car park etc.,) facilities at the airport are ready for commercial airline operations for day time only,” he stressed.
However, the deputy minister told the House that the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) was taking steps to install a navigational aid (NDB-Non Directional Beacon and a containerised control tower in February 2018 to further improve operational safety during the Approach and Landing phases, saying a Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Radio Rang (VOR) co-located with a Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) will in addition be installed by August 2018.
Story: Franklin Asare-Donkoh