Ghana’s National Airline to Takeoff in 2023; indigenous airline emerges as a strategic partner – Minister of Finance

2 min read

2 years ago Managing Editor: Akin Kola-Akinlade

Ghana’s Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has announced the government’s plan to flag off operations of the new home-based national carrier in 2023.

Also, the Finance Minister when presenting the 2023 fiscal year budget to the parliament, disclosed that the government had adopted the name, “GhanaAirlines,” for the national carrier.

He mentioned other names mooted for choosing the best that would aptly reflect Ghana’s culture and boost the enterprise hence, names such as, Akwaaba Airlines, Black Star Airlines, and Kente Airlines were considered before deciding on Ghana Airlines.

Speaking on the floor of the parliament, Ofori-Atta said, “Mr. Speaker, Shareholders, and Partnership Agreements were signed with the selected Strategic Partner for the Home-based Carrier which will be known as “GhanaAirlines,” the finance minister said.

The Minister announced that an indigenous, and high flyer industry player, “Ashanti Airlines has been selected as the preferred choice to partner government for its new home-based carrier”.

Ofori-Atta further disclosed that Ashanti Airlines which is owned by business moguls, Osei Kwame Despite, and his partner, Dr. Ernest Ofori-Sarpong, had secured for GhanaAirlines, an Air Carrier License (ACL), and it’s on course to complete the issuance of its Air Operator Certificate (AOC), which authorizes an operator to undertake specified commercial air transport operations.

Since the collapse of Ghana Airways in 2004 and the subsequent collapse of Ghana International Airlines in 2010, Ghana has been without a national airline for international flight operations.

Despite the signing of several Memorandum of Understandings, MoUs, with Ethiopian Airlines and EgyptAir, moves to re-establish a national carrier hit a snag and this led to the establishment of a new Committee to vet all proposals under the former Aviation Ministry which is now being run by the Ministry of Transport.

**ghanaweb