I have chanced upon a news item on Citifmonline.com, quoting the Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Letsa who among other things claimed the Akufo-Addo Government is now seeking to convince a private Airline company to operationalize the Ho Airport.
According to the Minister, “the President will not commission an airport when there are no flights. Until we are able to negotiate and convince private airlines to start flights to Ho, the President doesn’t see the wisdom in commissioning an airport without flights. That is what we are doing with the Minister of Aviation. If by the grace of God, we have a national airline soon, then it can be decided that it does daily air flight to Ho. We are convincing them to fly to Ho. It is not about the NPP having an airline and ordering it to fly to Ho. A private airline must be consulted and convinced to fly to Ho and that is what we are doing.”
In my view, the reason the Regional Minister gave, particularly the aspect that “a private airline must be consulted and convinced to fly fly to Ho and that is what we are doing”, is unconvincing, deceptive, smacks of laziness and non commitment on his part as well as the Govt to operationalize the Airport.
For the records, it is almost one year now that, a commercial Airline, African World Airlines AWA) had indicated its willingness and preparedness to fly the Accra – Ho – Accra route.
Till now, Ministry of Aviation and by extension Government of Ghana has never made any effort to make that a reality.
The information some of us have picked which we have no cause to doubt is that the Govt’s unwillingness to operationalize the route is partly because of Torgbe Afede XIV association with AWA.
This, only reveals a tip of the Government’s current hatred for Torgbe and the plot to deny any business he is associated with a deal and to top it up with disgrace, recollecting what this criminal Government did on the eve of 2019 National Farmers’ Day in Ho over who Chairs the event.
Suffice to say that they assured Torgbe; getting him to abandon other important engagements to travel to Ho only to be disrespectfully told a new Chairman for the occasion had be settled upon.
Let me say, the Govt’s attempt to rather hand over this business of flying the Ho route to McDan for a private jet business and McDan’s unpreparedness for same is another matter.
But to the extent that these NPP people who in opposition claimed flight business isn’t a good option for Volta Region and on assumption of power making the realization of that dream more difficult, also says a lot about their resolve.
Consider this, you claimed ‘trotro’ business isn’t good for one particular locality, your opponent insisted it is worth it and established same.
Now, an opportunity had come for u to serve, you chose to develop hatred for those who are interested in running the ‘trotro’ business denying them the opportunity, while at that, you also sought to change the ‘trotro’ business into one of hiring cars.
Everything correct?? Is this the competence??
Do you have the region and the people at heart??
By Koku Mawuli Nanegbe