Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe revealed today that the task force charged with launching a Ghanaian national airline is almost finished with its work. The minister said the project will help Ghana participate more actively in the aviation industry, improve regional connectivity and facilitate the movement of people and goods across the continent.
Speaking at the launch of Uganda Airlines’ Accra‑Entebbe service, Nikpe noted that Ghana previously operated Ghana Airways, which was liquidated several years ago, and that the government is now working to establish a new carrier. He said the President believes that without a national airline, the country cannot fully leverage its airports or connect them to other destinations.
“All of us are aware that Ghana used to have Ghana Airways, which got liquidated some years back,” Nikpe said. “His Excellency the President is thinking that we cannot have beautiful airports and connect our airports to other airports without participating in that industry of aviation or flying people.”
The minister added that the task force is almost done and that Ghana will soon join Uganda Airlines in strengthening air transport links across Africa. “Very soon, we will join Uganda Airlines to be able to move our people from producing centres to the marketplaces, from the marketplaces to the factories, and from workplaces to other tourism sites, so that Africans will have that kind of free movement within our own continent,” he said.
Uganda Airlines is targeting daily flights between Accra and Entebbe, up from its current four flights a week, as it seeks to deepen air connectivity between West and East Africa. CEO Girma Wake said the current four‑times‑weekly service was only the beginning of its ambitions in the Ghanaian market and thanked the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority for its support.
Managing Director of Ghana Airports Company Limited, Yvonne Nana Afriyie Opare, said the new service would expand travel options while supporting tourism, trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. “Beyond expanding travel options for passengers, this new service is expected to enhance connectivity, stimulate tourism and cultural exchange, facilitate trade, and strengthen economic cooperation between Ghana and Uganda,” she said.
As the task force finalises its recommendations, Ghana’s aviation authorities and investors will likely move forward with the plans to launch a national carrier, potentially reshaping the country’s air transport landscape and boosting its role in regional aviation.
