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Business News of Sunday, 21 September 2014

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Goldstar Airlines appeal to President Mahama

Ghanaian indigenous owned airline, Goldstar Airlines have extended a special appeal to His Excellency, President John Mahama to personally step in and help for the country’s aviation authorities to undertake inspection of equipment in order to give them the go-ahead to start work.

Renowned travel agency, Seasons Travel and Tours International have acquired the necessary facilities and personnel in readiness to professionally run Goldstar Airlines, with flights readily available to begin plying their Accra-Baltimore (USA), London (UK) and Guangzhou (China) flights.

But with new employees to man the airline at the ready, the operation of Goldstar Airlines has hit a snag following the failure of Ghana Civil Aviation Authorities (GCAA) to go and inspect the equipment and other facilities of the airline in the USA, much to the chagrin of Goldstar Airlines chief, Eric Bannerman.

“I don’t know what the problem is because the airline is Ghanaian so it’s Ghanaians who will benefit a lot from it,” Mr. Bannerman told a short briefing in Accra.

“We are pleading with the President to use his good offices to encourage the GCAA to go and inspect our equipment so that they can give us the license to begin work. The cost of travel to the USA by GCAA inspectors and Goldstar Airlines officials as well as the license fee is about $30,000 and we are ready to pay,” the Goldstar Airline CEO said, obviously frustrated.

Even though the airline is yet to be fully operational, Goldstar Airlines have taken their social corporate responsibility very seriously by already committing to sponsor recruitment of juvenile boxers through a novelty roaming gym initiative that will travel across the length and breadth of this country looking for young talent to insure the future of Ghana boxing.

Furthermore, Goldstar Airline staff who have been working hard behind the scenes ready for take-off, have come out with a unique fund, Goldstar Unite which will have seed money from deductions from each employee’s salary. Cash raised from this fund will be invested in constructing boreholes in deprived communities all over Ghana.

“That’s what we intend to do aside boxing and sponsoring disable supporters. A lot of people have left their jobs to join us but we are not working, even some people’s marriages have come under threat as a result. But we have workers who have good plans for Ghanaians and want to give out their money,” Eric Bannerman explained.

Goldstar Airline are also promising on board their flights, communication of information in English and local languages to add more Ghanaian flavor, why they are pleading with none other than the chief of the land to give word to GCAA officials to take action.

“We just want them to know that Ghanaians can also operate an airline so they should help us get the license to commence work. We are begging with the President to liaise or order the GCAA to nominate the three persons who will go and inspect the facilities for Goldstar Airlines,” George Lartey, UK Country Manager of Goldstar Airlines.