The Minister of Transportation, Mr Joseph Bukari Nikpe, has appealed to domestic airline operators to reduce ticket prices to align with the recent performance of the local currency.He said there was the need for affordable domestic travel to boost national connectivity, economic activity, and overall service delivery in the aviation sector and operators must respond accordingly."I appeal to our domestic airlines to consider what the road transport sector did by reviewing their prices downwards to 15 per cent and urging them to take a cue from that and also do a reduction in their fares to make domestic traveling affordable," stated.The Minister made the appeal at a stakeholders' breakfast meeting held in Accra yesterday.Organised by the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the meeting was to realign shared vision of airline operators and chart a boom course for the future of the aviation industry in the country.While acknowledging the near-monopoly of the two domestic carriers, the Minister maintained that competition should not come at the expense of affordability and public interest.He expressed hope that the operators would heed the government's call and initiate downward adjustments soon."We are optimistic, as they have assured us they are considering the proposal, taking into account other operational factors.
It is only my prayer that they will listen and act accordingly," Mr Nikpe said.On the Kumasi Airport project, he revealed that the government was set to extend the current runway from 1,881 meters to 2,320 meters to accommodate medium-body aircraft and increase the airport's capacity to handle longer-distance domestic and regional flights.Mr Nikpe also outlined the roadmap for revitalising and positioning Ghana's aviation sector as a leading hub in West Africa.He reaffirmed government's commitment to infrastructure development, safety, and service excellence.Despite country's recent drop to 10th place in regional aviation rankings, Mr Nikpe emphasised growth in passenger traffic as a positive indicator of resilience."In 2024 alone, we recorded over 2.6 million passengers, marking an 18 per cent increase from previous years and between January and April this year, 1.1 million passengers used our airspace," he reported.The Minister appealed to international airlines operating in the country to support local in-flight catering providers and include Ghanaian dishes and news content onboard to promote the country's culture and media.On his part, the Acting Director-General of GCAA, Reverend Stephen Wilfred Arthur underscored the need for the country to continue as a leader in Africa's aviation industryHe reaffirmed the GCAA's outstanding performance under the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)'s Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) and Universal Security Audit Programme (USAP), attributing success to "collective vigilance and professionalism."He said the new advanced Air Traffic Control Centre was nearing completion, adding that "The centre will revolutionise airspace management through enhanced radar surveillance, communication, and safety." By Cecilia Yada Lagba
