Audio By Carbonatix
The Ranking Member on Parliament's Roads and Transport Committee says there is no need for government to inject additional investment into bettering the Kotoka International Airport.
Kwame Agbodza comments come as the Aviation Minister Joseph Kofi Adda quashed rumours on the Super Morning Show on Monday, that government has received a proposal from, Turkish company - TAV-SUMMA - to privatise the Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL).Â
He insists that a privatisation deal is in the works and that the Aviation Minister should own up and be transparent about the government's intentions.
“I was hoping that the Minister would be bold enough to tell us that the government is trying to do this but he is hiding away, he is pretending that nothing is before them,” he said on the Super Morning Show on Monday.
The MP for Adaklu explained that while the KIA has been undergoing continuous significant transformation, the Covid-19 era is not the time to be borrowing more to invest in the airport.
According to him, the basis of the loan, which injected about $250 million into the expansion of Terminal 3 because “we believed that when we expand the airport to about a 5 million passenger capacity per year we will be able to pay off this loan after a period of time.”
Currently, however, the capacity of the airport he says stands at about 2.1 million and due to the coronavirus pandemic, a global movement has come to a standstill and the 5 million passengers per year target he explained, would only be achievable in the next five to seven years.
He, therefore, questioned why government would insist on borrowing more money to expand another terminal when this loan has not been paid off and stressed that the Ghana Airports Company Limited is not in distress to warrant external investments.
“What we need now is a very prudent way of managing ourselves out of the Covid,” he said.
Alternatively, he appealed to government to find funds to pay off existing loans from the Ghana Infrastructure Fund which still has money in it.
Latest Stories
-
Free Primary Healthcare Programme set for take-off — Health Ministry confirms readiness
14 minutes -
3 co-wives, 5 children perish in canoe disaster – Maritime Authority insists life jackets use mandatory for all water transport
1 hour -
Iran war lands ‘triple blow’ to flood-ravaged Sri Lankans
2 hours -
Gunmen kill at least 11 people at Afghanistan picnic spot
2 hours -
Woman, 25, in court for stealing baby at Bogoso
2 hours -
Trump unveils giant gold-accented victory arch design for US capital
2 hours -
We spoke to the man making viral Lego-style AI videos for Iran. Experts say it’s powerful propaganda
2 hours -
Hungarians vote in big numbers on whether to end Orbán rule and elect rival
2 hours -
At least 30 feared dead in crush at Haitian tourist site
2 hours -
Boxing: Abdul Ahmed wins WBA Africa Cruiserwight title after dispatching Nigeria’s Eradeye
2 hours -
Nearly 2,000 displaced, schools damaged as windstorm wreaks havoc in Gushegu
3 hours -
Ghana’s Derrick Kohn to work under Marie-Louise Eta as she becomes first woman to coach men’s Bundesliga team
3 hours -
Accra Open Championships conclude with strong performances ahead of African Championships
3 hours -
Ghana to begin camping with 12 athletes after Accra Open Championships – Bawa Fuseni
3 hours -
Anthony Joshua declines showdown with Tyson Fury but admits they ‘probably’ clash next
3 hours