President John Dramani Mahama has cut sod for the construction of a seven-storey multi-purpose car park and airport hotels complex at the Accra International Airport.
The move is part of government’s plans to expand infrastructure to meet rising passenger traffic and strengthen Ghana’s position as an aviation hub.
The facility, being developed by the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), will provide about 2,030 covered parking bays, two hotels with a combined 370 rooms, a shopping mall, food court, retail and office spaces, a sky lounge and an aircraft-viewing observatory.
An 80-metre pedestrian sky bridge will also connect the complex directly to Terminal 3.
The project is expected to be completed within 24 months and is intended to ease congestion, improve traffic circulation and make better use of the limited land available within the airport enclave.
Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony on Thursday, President Mahama said passenger traffic through the airport had increased from 1.8 million in 2022 to 2.5 million in 2025, creating pressure on parking facilities, airport roads, pick-up and drop-off points and other services.
He said Ghana’s aviation strategy must go beyond attracting more passengers to positioning the country as a preferred destination, convenient transit point and competitive aviation hub in Africa.
“Infrastructure must anticipate growth,” the President said, arguing that government could not wait for congestion to become unmanageable before expanding facilities.
President Mahama also disclosed that the new car park and hotel complex, together with other ongoing airport projects, was being financed from the balance sheets of GACL and the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), without direct government funding.
The projects include a new GCAA air traffic control tower, refurbishment of Terminal 2 and a transfer concourse linking Terminals 2 and 3.
GACL expects new revenue stream
GACL Managing Director Yvonne Nana Afriyie Opare said the project would not only improve passenger convenience but also create an important source of non-aeronautical revenue for the airport operator.
She said GACL would generate additional revenue from parking, retail, dining and hotel operations once the facility becomes operational.
Unlike the Terminal 2 and 3 connecting concourse, which is located on the airside, Mrs Opare explained that the new development would be situated on the landside of the airport and accessible to the general public.
Transport Ministry monitors other projects
Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe described the development as another milestone in the modernisation and expansion of Ghana’s aviation infrastructure.
He said the Ministry was monitoring several other projects, including the repurposing of Terminal 2, runway expansion works and upgrades to air navigation and surveillance systems.
Mr Nikpe also drew attention to an earlier airport project for which President Mahama cut sod during his first term but which had not yet been formally commissioned. He appealed to the President to continue engaging the relevant institutions to resolve outstanding issues surrounding such projects.
The project forms part of a broader push to upgrade Ghana’s aviation infrastructure as passenger numbers and air connectivity continue to grow.
President Mahama also announced that government was preparing for the construction of airports in Bolgatanga, Wa and Nsoatre, further signalling plans to expand aviation infrastructure beyond Accra.
The President further disclosed that the recently assented Ghana Customs Act removes duties and taxes on aircraft spare parts imported by domestic airlines, a measure he said would help make local airlines safer and support their maintenance operations.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
