The construction of a new airport for Wa has moved a step closer to physical commencement, with the contractor, Maripoma Construction Ltd, beginning technical survey work at the proposed project site.
A technical team from the construction company has visited the Upper West Region to undertake preliminary surveys and identify the locations for the proposed runway and terminal building.
The team was received by the Metropolitan Chief Executive for Wa, Alhaji Nurah Issah Danwana, on behalf of the Upper West Regional Minister, Hon. Charles Lwanga Puozuing.
During the visit, the MCE accompanied the technical team to the project site, where surveyors picked up geographical coordinates to support the engineering design and ensure compliance with applicable aerospace requirements.
Alhaji Danwana subsequently urged the contractor to expedite the remaining processes to pave the way for a groundbreaking ceremony and the commencement of construction.
The technical team comprised Contract Manager Shaiba Y. Issah, Commercial Engineer Cui Yukun, Designer Shu Junliang, Interpreter Liao Xueying and Surveying Engineer Zeng Ri.
The latest development comes months after President John Dramani Mahama announced that Wa would benefit from the construction of a new airport to replace the existing facility, rather than an expansion of the current airport.
Speaking in Wa in February, President Mahama said the existing airport location was unsuitable for the region’s future aviation needs, pointing among other things to the road that had been diverted around the runway. He disclosed that Ghana Airports Company Limited had already inspected a site that had been allocated years earlier for the proposed new airport.
In April, the Transport Minister, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, also announced plans for new airports in Wa, Bolgatanga and Sunyani as part of a broader expansion of Ghana’s aviation infrastructure. The government said the projects were intended to address limitations in existing airport infrastructure and improve regional connectivity.
By July, President Mahama had indicated that government was preparing to proceed with procurement for the Wa project, saying the necessary documentation had been submitted to the Public Procurement Authority for approval. He linked the proposed airport to efforts to strengthen transport infrastructure and position the Upper West Region as a commercial and logistics hub connecting Ghana to the Sahel.
The latest survey work suggests that preparations have now progressed to the detailed technical planning of the facility.
However, the MCE’s account indicates that construction itself has not yet commenced, as the remaining procurement processes are expected to be completed before work begins.
The new airport is expected to improve air connectivity to the Upper West Region and support trade, investment and movement of people and goods. Its strategic importance is heightened by the region’s location along Ghana’s northern corridor towards Burkina Faso and the wider Sahel.
For residents and businesses in Wa, the immediate milestone will now be the completion of the procurement processes and the anticipated groundbreaking ceremony, which would formally mark the transition from planning and surveying to construction.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
