The Ministry of Transport has secured the necessary funding and procurement approvals for work to begin on a massive rehabilitation and improvement of the Kumasi and Sunyani airports, sector Minister Collins Dauda has announced. Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show on Wednesday November 7, 2012 Alhaji Dauda, who is also the MP for Asutifi South, said the works would include rehabilitation of the runways, installation of runway lights at the Sunyani airport to allow for night aviation, and the expansion and eventual construction of a new terminal at the Kumasi airport. In the meantime, a huge air-conditioned tent has been mounted at the Kumasi airport as a temporary measure to accommodate the growing number of domestic fliers, he added. The Minister, who spoke on a wide range of issues in the transport sector including the ports, said the Ministry and the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority are in the process of arranging the necessary funding and expertise to construct an office complex to house all the airline operators in one building to make it easier for the flying public. Alhaji Dauda said the growing number of domestic flyers, as well as a doubling of the number of travelers was an indication of the growing confidence in the viability of the local aviation industry and the growth of Ghana’s economy as a whole, with three new operators joining in the last three years alone to take the number of operators to five. The Transport Minister dismissed claims by officials of local operator Antrak that the use of heavy aircraft by Starbow, another operator, had led to the deterioration of the Kumasi and Tamale runways, saying it was rather a reflection of the frequency of flights. In any event, he argued, Antrak Air officials had also acquired a heavy aircraft and operated more flights a day than Starbow. “Antrak operates 6 flights a day to Kumasi while Starbow operates three, so if it is the weight that is spoiling the runway, then you (Antrak) are part of it. When Starbow came with a bigger aircraft, you also brought in a big one,” he stated. He revealed that officials of the Transport and Energy ministries were currently engaged in a discussion to reduce the high cost of aviation fuel, which was negatively impacting on ticket prices. On the international front, Alhaji Dauda said the continuous improvements in Ghana’s economy was reflected in the increased volume of travelers to and from Ghana, and the entry of three more international airlines to the previous 24.