Prof. Ransford Gyampo, an associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Ghana has disclosed that the construction of an airport is not an urgent need for the people of Cape Coast
According to him, the efforts are misplaced as there are more significant developmental projects that can be undertaken to boost economic development in the region. The construction of an airport to him, isn’t of a great necessity.
Speaking in an interview, he said, “if there is a harbour, fine. But an airport, I don’t think so”.
Professor Gyampo’s made this comment in reaction to the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) promise to build a harbor and an airport in Cape Coast if re-elected in the upcoming election.
In his address at the launch of the party’s 2020 manifesto, Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia disclosed that the NPP will construct an airport in the Central Region.
“For the people of Cape Coast, I have good news for you. We are building a new harbor in Cape Coast and a new airport in Cape Coast,” he said.
That notwithstanding, Professor Gyampo sharply disagreed with the construction, citing the needlessness of the airport and further indicating that an airport at Cape Coast may come in later when the region is far advanced in terms of economic development.
“I don’t know whether Ghana is too big for the country to be littered with airports all over. In my view, an airport may come in at a later stage in our development but for now the people of Cape Coast in particular have a lot of immediate socio-economic needs that the government can immediately tackle”.
Professor Gyampo
Elsewhere, an aviation expert Dr. Yakubu Akparibo outlined some of reasons why the construction of an airport in Cape Coast will not be a viable option for the country as of now.
According to the Aerospace Medicine Physician, most of the conditions that would serve as a basis for the citing of such a facility in the Central Region are non-existent.
But the aviation expert said it’s better to prioritize other infrastructure and not an airport.
Commercial flights form a major driver of a viable aviation industry, a strength Dr Akparibo said is missing in the Central Region.
“We don’t have so many business flights coming from Cape Coast and so that is not feasible. You may want to find out if there are business people who live in Cape Coast or Accra and need to shuttle to and fro and may need to catch some business within the shortest possible time,” he said. Cape Coast is not a major hub that you can fly to like Abuja or other cities.”
Central Regional Minister Kwamena Duncan had earlier justified the government manifesto promise saying it has the propensity to open up the region for international investors and boost its economic fortunes.
However, Dr. Akparibo explained that it must also be assessed whether these passengers are connecting internationally through Accra to Cape Coast.
“If you have so many people coming into the country through Accra and have to travel to Cape Coast then you have to have budget flight airlines that can shuttle like connecting flights for those passengers…We don’t have so many business flights to Cape Coast so that isn’t feasible,” he explained.
