Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia inaugurated phase two of the Tamale International Airport in a joyous occasion in Tamale, the Northern Regional Capital.
The project is part of the government’s aviation sector infrastructure development programme, which aims to expand the boundaries of the aviation industry and make Ghana the aviation hub within the West African sub-region.
Dr. Bawumia, who officially kicked off construction on the Tamale International Airport Phase II on the 15th of August 2019, is pleased with the project’s progress after four years.
On Tuesday, August 22, 2023, Dr. Bawumia made this announcement during the official commissioning ceremony. “This project is so dear to the government and particularly the hard-working people of the Northern Region and its trading partners across the length and breadth of the country and the Sub-Region.”
“The completion of this ultra-modern terminal building, together with a multi-purpose terminal and other ancillary facilities, is expected to provide the needed impetus for increased economic trading activities and to re-enforce the status of Tamale as a sub-Saharan hub airport for flights to and from neighbouring West African countries and the Sahel region. The Tamale International Airport will serve as an alternative to the Kotoka International Airport.”
Construction at the airport included a state-of-the-art terminal building measuring around 5,000 square metres that can be expanded to accommodate up to 400,000 passengers per year, a multi-purpose terminal (Hajj Facility), a 5-kilometre long single carriageway access road, a 330-space parking garage, a technical hub to manage electricity, waste water treatment, and other necessities, and various ancillary facilities.
A VIP lounge, two boarding gates, two self-service check-in kiosks, eight staffed check-in counters, airline offices, and retail space are just some of the facilities included in the new terminal structure.
The estimated cost of the airport is $70 million. Vice President Bawumia noted that the Northern Region is well-known for its thriving agricultural and economic activities, and he stated that the airport’s location within the Sahelian belt, also known as the food basket of Ghana, would improve the region’s access to markets for agricultural produce, boost tourism, and attract passengers from neighbouring countries.
“Indeed, the government intends to use Tamale International Airport to support the programmes of the Northern Development Authority (NDA) of Ghana to harness fresh agricultural produce for export to other parts of the world and to generate employment and create wealth in this geographical zone.
“The boost in agriculture would be leveraged to support the development of Agro-based industries in Northern Ghana. The expansion of the Tamale International Airport is expected to serve as a catalyst for industrialization and rapid socio-economic development,” he added.
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