Parliament has ratified bilateral air services agreements between Ghana and six countries in a move expected to strengthen international air connectivity and facilitate the expansion of passenger and cargo services.

The agreements, signed between 2018 and 2023, were presented to Parliament by the Minister for Transport, Joseph Bukari Nikpe, for ratification.

The countries covered under the agreements are the Republic of Benin, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Mauritius, the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the State of Qatar.

The agreements provide the legal framework for commercial airline operations between Ghana and the six countries, including the embarkation and disembarkation of passengers and cargo, as well as market access for designated airlines.

Government believes the agreements could pave the way for direct flight connections between Ghana and the respective countries, reducing travel time for passengers and improving cargo movement.

Supporting the motion on the floor of Parliament, the Member of Parliament for Takoradi, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, urged the government to complement international air connectivity by expanding domestic aviation services.

He said Ghana could draw lessons from countries such as Mauritius, where smaller aircraft are used to connect tourists to destinations that are difficult to access by road.

"Mauritius, for instance, has smaller planes that can do short distances to tourism sites. We don't seem to have them in Ghana. If we have them, a lot of the hard-to-reach areas in Ghana can be reached to boost tourism in this country," he said.

Mr Darko-Mensah also called for greater investment in charter flight services, arguing that the newly ratified agreements present opportunities for Ghana to build capacity and generate additional revenue.

"Charter service is also one area we tend to fall short as a country. Our relationship after the ratification should enable us to take advantage of the opportunities to do some learning, to expand and generate more revenue as a country," he added.

The bilateral air services agreements take effect immediately following Parliament's ratification and are expected to strengthen Ghana's aviation sector while deepening economic and commercial ties with the six partner countries.