The renovated Kumasi airport will be operational earlier than planned in August 2022
Ghana's goal is to become a major air hub in sub-Saharan Africa. To achieve this, the West African country has undertaken a vast plan to modernise its main international airports.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Kumasi International Airport could be operational by August this year and open for international flights, two months ahead of schedule. In December last year, Contracta Construction UK Ltd, the British company in charge of the project, told the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) that the project would be completed by October 2022.
However, during a recent visit by Ashanti Regional Minister Simon Osei-Mensah, he was given assurances that the project would be delivered earlier than expected. "Earlier, when we came here with the president, they assured us that by October 2022, we would start receiving international flights. Today we have been informed that in August we can open up for international travel [...] This is excellent and commendable," he said.
According to him, the arrival and departure hall is almost complete, almost all the equipment has already been installed and some simulation exercises have been carried out.
It was on June 6, 2018, Ghanaian President Dankwa Akufo-Addo launched the expansion of the Kumasi International Airport. This construction project, supported by the United Kingdom, is estimated at nearly 126 million euros. The scope of work, phase 2 and 3, includes the extension of the existing runway surface from 1,981m to 2,320m, the construction of a new terminal (with a capacity of 800,000 passengers per annum); a fire station; a control tower and the extension of the apron and taxiways. There are also plans to reinstall lighting (city side) on the platform and an 11 MW power plant.
