General News of Thursday, 25 April 2024

Source: GNA

Kumasi International Airport project completed, handed over to government

During construction of the now completed facility | File photo During construction of the now completed facility | File photo

Contractors working on the Kumasi International Airport has handed over the project to the Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL) through the Ministry of Transport.

This was during the inspection and testing of the terminal facilities by officials from the Ministry of Transport and the GACL, led by Mr Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, on Tuesday.

The visit was to test and assess whether the facilities conform to international standards.

Mr Asiamah, who was impressed with the work done by the contractors so far, expressed optimism that the airfields would also be completed within the short possible time by the contractor.

He said it was very necessary to get clear evidence on the functionality of the facility to enable them to synchronize them together for operations.

He explained that GACL was going to intensify maintenance culture to ensure durability since most facilities in the country faced maintenance deficits.

The Minister was hopeful that the facility would be commissioned before the end of May 2024.

Mrs Yvonne Nana Afriyie Opare, Managing Director of GACL, lauded the quality of work done after testing, and prayed that God continued to guide the sustainability of the facility.

With the completion of the facility, she noted, about 800,000 passengers could patronize it within a year since majority of travelers come from the Ashanti and the northern parts of the country.

She also thanked the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, for given them the site for operations.

Nana Ametepe, the Resident engineer/consultant for GACL took the team to various operational departments of the facility such as the information desk, profiling box, VVIP lounge, wrapping area, luggage scanning rooms and others.

In June 2018, President Akufo-Addo cut the sod for the commencement of work on Phase Two of the Kumasi Airport Project.

The scope of work included the extension of existing runway pavement from 1,981 metres to 2,320 meters, the construction of a new taxi link, and apron, two new apron parking stands, and aeronautical ground lighting systems.