The Minister of Aviation, Joseph Kofi Adda says the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) staff have been misled over a “blatant lie” over governments intentions of selling the airport.
The Board of the Company has not yet begun formal negotiations with the proposed strategic partner even after receiving Executive approval from President Akufo-Addo, according to him.
Addressing the press, Mr Adda emphasized that negotiations have not commenced because the Board is still assessing the scope of the Executive approval. This comes a day after workers of the GACL embarked on a demonstration to register their displeasure over government’s alleged plan to privatise the company.
He said also that there is a lot of falsehood in the system and also revealed that the Union did not approach them for details.
“We have not even written to the strategic partner, so how can you say we are selling the company. We have not invited them formally. Yes, they have made presentations to us on what they intend to do.”
He added
“There is nothing formal in terms of a technical proposal, financial or whatever. So, I want it to be very clear that there has not been any effort or any attempt to sell the company, to privatise it or to sign an agreement.
“The union has been misled, for whatever reason, I do not know. I do not want to suggest political motivation but if there are politicians behind them well, unfortunately from Ghana everything has been politicised but they are the same ones who will benefit if this thing happens well”.
He assured that any future agreement with the strategic partner will be to expand the operations of the Airport which will lead to job creation and not job losses.
The Minister stated that there are already strategic partnerships between the GACL and private companies in the aviation sector. He said agreements with Swissport Ghana Limited and Aviance Ghana had proved beneficial to the country and not resulted in the sale of any national assets.
Mr Adda stressed that these agreements would serve as experience in negotiating a future strategic agreement.
Mr Adda further explained that such agreements are essential to the development of Ghana’s airport infrastructure because the GACL is not attractive to lenders because of a $300 million legacy debt from the construction of Terminal 3 of the Kotoka International Airport.
Background
This comes after the Public Service Workers’ Union at the Ghana Airports Company Limited demonstrated yesterday against the supposed engagement of a Turkish frim, TAV-Summa Consortium, as a strategic partner for the management of the Ghana Airports Company Limited.
