Various airports around the country are expected to benefit from a US$150million facility secured by Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL) and this includes the Ho Airport. The loan was secured from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the South African Bank (ABSA)
The Ho Airport project will include runaway dimensions of 1,900 metre long and 30 metre wide aprons; air traffic control, passenger terminal building with the capacity to accommodate 150,000 passengers a year; baggage handling systems, boarding gates; CCTVs, fire detection systems; VIP and VVIP facilities and firefighting and water storage facilities.
The construction of the Ho Airport is expected to boost tourism in the region which is endowed with so many tourist attractions. The potential of the region to attract a large number of in-country and foreign tourists is not in doubt.
Ho is a town and the capital of the Volta Region. It lies between mount Adaklu and Mount Galenukui (Togo Atakora Range) and is home to a museum, a cathedral and a large prison. Ho has a settlement population of 96,216 people. It was the capital of British Togoland. Ho is endowed with fertile land suitable for the cultivation of yam, rice, maize and onion.
According to His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama, the decision to develop a domestic airport in Ho was one meant to enhance the tourism potential of the region.
He said “ the expected impacts include directly providing employment within the airport, transport ministry…such as airline and airport, aircraft maintenance; air traffic control and meteorological services; and indirectly Ho providing employment for ancillary support services in the air transport industry.. For example, aviation fuel and construction companies.
The president said this during an official sod cutting ceremony for the airport during his ‘Accounting to the People Tour’ of the Volta Region. The Wa Airstrip is also expected to benefit from this facility. The project is expected to end in September 2016.
By David Acquah
