Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe appealed to Ghana’s domestic airlines on Monday to lower ticket prices following the government’s recent import duty exemptions on aircraft parts. The call came as the minister unveiled Africa World Airlines’ (AWA) new 102‑seat Embraer E190 at the airline’s expansion launch.
Mr. Nikpe said the duty waivers should reduce operating costs for carriers, creating room for fare reductions. He urged airlines, particularly AWA, to reflect the savings in the prices charged to passengers, adding, "We want to seize this opportunity to appeal to all the airlines, especially the leading domestic airlines, to also look at their affairs and let it reflect on the Ghanaian traveller, so that our people can also enjoy some reduction in airfares."
The minister welcomed the introduction of larger aircraft, noting that increased passenger capacity could encourage more Ghanaians to choose domestic air travel. He highlighted the Embraer E190’s 102‑seat capacity as a boost to AWA’s connectivity plans.
Mr. Nikpe concluded that the combination of higher capacity and lower operating costs presents an opportunity for airlines to make domestic travel more accessible to the public.
