US$70 million Tamale Airport Phase two project completed — Minister

The construction of the Phase two of the Tamale Airport Development Project has been completed at a cost of US$70 million and awaiting commissioning by the end of this year.

The 5,000-square metre airport, with an annual passenger throughput of 400,000 capacity, is expected to boost the local economy, tourism and investment drive to the Northern Region.

The expansion works included the construction of a modern terminal, VIP Lounge, two boarding gates, four self-service check-in kiosks and eight check-in desks.

Other ancillary facilities were airline offices, commercial retail area, a multi-purpose terminal for Hajj travel facilitation, 350-capacity car park and a five-kilometre road network.

Alhaji Shani Alhassan Saibu, the Northern Regional Minister, announced this in Accra on Sunday when he took his turn at the Minister’s press briefing.

The Minister updated the public on major physical infrastructure and social services undertaken by the Government over the past five years, especially on health, transport, agriculture, One- District, One-Factory and projects being implemented under the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP) by the Northern Development Authority.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on August 15, 2019 cut the sod for the construction of phase two of the Tamale Airport Development Project and scheduled to be completed within 26 months.

“It is on record that the Tamale Airport can boast of the best Tarmac in the country. It could be a major hub for air cargo for exporting agricultural produce in the West African Sub-region,” Alhaji Saibu emphasised.

The interchange would boost the local economy, create employment and add to the beauty of the city, the Minister stated.

Six flagship programmes under the “One-district, One-factory” were in operation in the Region, employing more than 1,000 permanent and 3,000 casual workers respectively, he said.

Alhaji Saibu stated that a total of 353.79 kilometres of road projects were ongoing in the Region, with 60 per cent of them at various stages of completion.

Also, the Ghana Highway Authority had undertaken various road maintenance works such as regravelling, rehabilitation, resealing and sectoral rehabilitation works on roads across the Region including Salaga-Bimbilla road, Tamale-Daboya road and Kpatinga-Gaa road as well as rehabilitation of the Barwah Barracks, the Minister said.

Under the $2-billion-dollar Ghana-Sinohydro Master Project Support Management, the Minister said the first-ever Interchange in the northern sector of the country was constructed-Tamale Interchange- which was opened to traffic on March 29, 2022 by President Akufo-Addo, thereby opening up the local economy and creating many employment avenues for the teeming youth.

On health, he said, a total of 118 projects were ongoing including CHPS compounds, health centres, clinics, maternity wards, accommodation for health workers and administration blocks, with 82 of them completed, representing 72 per cent.

The Minister said although there had been tremendous progress in infrastructure facilities in the Region a lot more needed to be done to enhance the living standards of the people and eradicate poverty from the Region.