Yvonne Nana Afriyie Opare, Managing Director of Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), has blamed the recent surge in airport fees on the necessity of making Ghana a significant aviation hub.
In terms of airport services, she pointed out that Ghana is ranked fourth in Africa and fifteenth worldwide, but it lacks the necessary infrastructure to compete with airports in South Africa, Cairo, and Morocco.
During today’s public accounts committee hearing, Opare addressed the high cost and emphasised that imposing these fees will assist close the gap and raise Ghana’s airport facilities to international levels.
Madam Opare’s explanation coincides with continuing initiatives to establish Ghana as a premier aviation centre in West Africa, such as the resurfacing of the main runway and the reuse of Terminal 2 at Kotoka International Airport.
The most noteworthy suggestion in the Roads and Transport Committee’s report on the Ministry of Transport’s 2026 Budget, which Parliament had already considered, was a significant amendment to the Airport Passenger Service Charge (APSC).
The Committee verified that the APSC for overseas travel will increase to GH¢100 from GH¢5, which has remained constant since 2014.
The analysis said that, especially in view of significant investments in aviation infrastructure, the prior rate was no longer sufficient to cover the rising expenses of airport expansion, operations, and maintenance.
Source: newsthemegh.com