The Upper West Region will get a new airport in Wa.
The project will be funded by the recently passed airport infrastructure levy.
This levy imposes fees on international air tickets, tickets within Africa, tickets within the ECOWAS region, and domestic tickets, will go into a fund dedicated to developing airports across the country.
President John Dramani Mahama announced this at the launch of the Upper West Shea Park Resource Hub at the Palace of His Royal Majesty the Wa Naa in Wa.
“I’m pleased to announce to you that Wa is going to be a beneficiary of this fund with the construction of a new airport, not the old airport,” he explained.
President Mahama stated that the current location of the airport is not ideal, noting that the road was diverted around the runway.
He said a site was allocated years ago and that officials from the airport company inspected it two weeks prior to the event.
“I think that construction of a new airport for Upper West here in Wa will start soon,” he added.
On road infrastructure, Mahama confirmed that groundbreaking ceremonies have already taken place for the Wa-Tumu-Han-Baugatanga road and the Techiman-Wenchi-Sawla-Wa road.
He stated that the Wa-Tumu road has been awarded in different lots to speed up construction.
“Before I leave office we will commission the road from Wa through Tumu-Han to Bolgatanga,” he said.
The President also said the government is reconstructing the Fufulso-Wa road. He stated that the Laribanga-Sawla section was poorly constructed under the supervision of a foreign consultant hired through an African Development Bank project.
The President bemoaned the consultant was paid by the African Development Bank and returned to his country, but when the road began failing years later, there was no mechanism to hold him accountable.
“If he was a Ghanaian consultant we will hold him responsible for poor supervision of that road,” he said.
He stated that going forward, government-funded projects will be awarded to Ghanaian contractors and consultants.
Mahama also revealed that 261 24-hour markets are being built across the country, one per district, with a standardized design.
He acknowledged a local dispute over the siting of the Wa market but said he would not intervene.
“That market is yours. You have to decide where you want to site it,” he said.
He added that it is his hope that the Wainaa, local authorities, and stakeholders will come together and agree on a location that will give the greatest benefit to the people of the Wa municipality.
Richard Aniagyei, ISD
