Prime News Ghana

$150 million requested for Tamale Airport 2nd phase, NPP MP says makes no sense

By Michael Eli Dokosi
Tamale Airport
Tamale Airport
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Ahead of parliament going on break on Thursday, November 3, 2016 for the December 7 polls, officials of the finance ministry have tendered in documents to parliament for fund approval for the phase 2 of the Tamale Airport to take off.

In the first phase of the airport upgrade, the runway was extended by more than 1400 meters from 2480 to 3940 meters.

Completion of the two phases is expected to trigger an economic hub near the airport in a bid to create employment and improve the local economy of people living within the Savanna zone.

It cost $130 million to upgrade the Tamale Airport to an international in the first phase with an additional $150 million budgeted as cost of the phase two of the project.

Brazilian construction company, Queiroz Galvao is handling the construction while the Ghana Airports Company is taking the project on its balance sheet.

Minister of Transport, Fifi Kwetey declared there was a need to have an alternate international airport for Kotoka to facilitate movement of goods and people.

Member of Parliament for New Juabeng South, Mark Asibey Yeboah reckons the amounts being mentioned for the Tamale Airport expansion coupled with the uncertainty regarding its viability makes no economic sense.

He however resigned himself to the fate that the majority will have its way despite protestations from the minority.

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