Investors seek to turn Sunyani Airport into a key hub

The newly-renovated Sunyani Airport, which is expected to be opened for operations in a few months, is attracting interest from investors.

AviationGhana sources have confirmed that two investors are willing to invest in on-ground services and possibly set up an airline to transform the airport into a key aviation hub in the middle belt of Ghana.

The Sunyani Airport was originally constructed as an Airstrip, and later upgraded into an airport in 1969. The airport currently has a total runway length of 1,520 meters made up of 1,400 meters of paved and 60 meters unpaved Runway End Safety Area (RESA) at both ends.

It had the capacity to handle and process 100 passengers per hour. Since the commencement of commercial operations, the airport has not had any major renovation works, resulting in the poor state of the airport including cracks and potholes on the runway.

In 2015, the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) and Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) shut down the airport as a precautionary measure to forestall
any disaster.

Prior to shutting it down, it was serviced by now-defunct domestic airline operator, Starbow.

The rehabilitation and expansion of the airport was carried out in phases.

A contract was awarded in 2018 for the rehabilitation of the existing
runway, minimal renovation of the terminal building, and construction of some airport internal roads and other auxiliary facilities.

Rehabilitation works are almost complete and the airport is to be opened to traffic in the next few months.