Bolgatanga: Mr. Donatus Atanga Akamugri, the Upper East Regional Minister, has highlighted the strategic importance of constructing an airport in the region, emphasizing its potential to drive accelerated development and economic improvement across Ghana.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Akamugri underscored the Upper East Region's advantageous position for an airport, given its proximity to the Sahel region. He reaffirmed the government's commitment to fulfilling its promise to construct the airport, which is expected to boost investment and development in the area. Accompanying technical officials from the Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL), Mr. Akamugri recently toured the proposed site for the airport at Anateem, a suburb of the Sumbrungu community in the Bolgatanga Municipality.
The visit came a week after President John Dramani Mahama, during his 'Thank You Tour' of Bolgatanga, reiterated his commitment to realizing the project and instructed the GACL to secure funding. The tour aimed to gather first-hand information about the site to aid in bringing the project to fruition.
The initiative to construct an airport in the region began in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with approximately 2,888.72 hectares of land earmarked at Anateem for the project. Despite several technical evaluations, feasibility studies, and promises from successive governments, the project has yet to materialize after more than 40 years, leaving local communities frustrated.
Mr. Akamugri emphasized that the airport would significantly impact various sectors, including security, agriculture, and business, as well as the burgeoning mining industry. He highlighted the region's strategic location, bordering Burkina Faso and Togo, noting that the airport would serve not only Northern Ghana but also neighboring countries, enhancing tourism and generating foreign exchange.
In terms of security, Mr. Akamugri pointed out the necessity of the airport to facilitate quick deployment of security personnel during emergencies and aid those facing transportation challenges. He also mentioned the region's emerging status as a mining hub, with mineral deposits in at least seven out of the 15 districts, where an airport would bolster mining activities and safely transport mined gold, reducing the risk of armed robbery.
Finally, Mr. Akamugri called on all stakeholders to support the project, stressing its potential to create job opportunities and spur economic growth in the Upper East Region.
