The race for a strategic investor to partner with the Government of Ghana for the establishment of a new home-based carrier has ended, AviationGhana can confirm. Ashanti Airlines is the chosen partner.

AviationGhana sources have confirmed that the deal has now been finalised, with Ashanti Airlines at the latter stages of completing all financial arrangements.

The indigenous company, which has an Air Carrier License (ACL) is also nearing the completion of the issuance of its Air Operator Certificate, a certificate authorising an operator to carry out specified commercial air transport operations, to enable it to start operations by the close of this year.

The company has, therefore, started scouting the market for potential employees.

Ashanti Airlines is owned by Ghanaian business mogul and co-founder of the Despite Group of Companies, Osei Kwame Despite and his partner, Ernest Ofori Sarpong.

Ashanti Airlines is backed by the Despite Group, one of the biggest indigenous companies with interest in media, banking, food and beverage, and real estate sectors. 

Ghana has been without a national airline since the collapse of Ghana International Airlines in 2010, following the demise of Ghana Airways in 2004. Attempts to establish a new home-based carrier has led to the signing of MoUs with Ethiopian Airlines and EgyptAir respectively with no clear outcome. 

This led to the establishment of a new Committee to vet all proposal, after the erstwhile Ministry of Aviation was subsumed into the Ministry of Transport.