AIRLINE OPERATORS ADVISED TO BE READY FOR GHANA'S OIL (Page 28)

30/4/2010
Story: Mary Mensah
Airline operators have been advised to hold themselves in readiness to provide air travel services which will be occassioned by the commercial production of oil in the country.
The Minister of Transport,Mr Mike Hammah said that the oil find in Ghana would pose a serious challenge to air travel because a lot investors were expected to travel to and from the country to conduct business activities.
At the Board of Airlines (BaRGH) stakeholders forum in Accra, Mr Hammah said government would continue to provide the necessary enabling environment for the air travel industry to enable it grow to internationally accepted levels.
The forum which held biannually provides opportunity to stakeholders in the airline industry to share ideas and to disseminate vital information to strengthen and improve air transport.
He said the commitment of government towards the development of the air travel industry was demonstrated by commitment to implement regional and International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) decisions, standards and recommendaded practices expeditiously in spite of obvious challenges and constrants face by developing countries.
“Today without being self pleasing, it could be said that Ghana’s aviation industry was fast growing and perhaps most competitive in the West African sub-region”, he said.
Mr Hammah said the ministry and the Civil Aviation Authority were taking the requisite steps to ensure that Ghana regained its FAA category of status which primarily would enhance operations to the United States of America and also afford passengers with various choices.
He said even though government has done a lot at the Kotota International Airport (KIA) there are a few infrastural issues to be handled to make the airport a much more competitive one adding that neccesary steps are being taking to address the issue of inadequate fuel storage capacity at the airport.