According to the Managing Director of Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL), John Attafuah, it would precede the inauguration of the modern edifice by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo later on October 2.

He was speaking recently in Accra when he conducted the Minister of Aviation, Mr. Kofi Adda and his Deputy, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, and other delegation from the Ministry around the facility to know at firsthand progress on the system testing exercise.

The Managing Director noted that so far, about 36 simulation exercises have been conducted which included both departure and arrival processes.

“Last Monday, we started live flight from this Terminal. We had four different airlines involved with Emirates departing from here to Abidjan and back. Just today, we also had one arrival. We are on track in meeting all the deadlines we settled on,” he stated.

So far, Mr. Attafuah said no fault or challenge has been detected adding that all other processes were ongoing smoothly.

While the new US$275 million dollars Terminal would serve international travelers, he noted that the Terminal Two would be used for domestic travels.

As a country in the centre of the world, he said the GACL would continue to advertise the facilities to attract new airlines and make Ghana the preferred route for all airlines to enhance the company’s revenue.

On his part, Mr. Adda said the facility was a world class edifice which would support efforts to transform Ghana into an aviation hub in the West African sub-region.

He said government was still in discussions with strategic partners and was currently assessing proposals from some Airlines including Ethiopian Airlines, Air Mauritius, among others in setting up a home-based carrier.

The Minister lauded the change in plan for a home-based carrier which had private interests saying that such an arrangement would ensure efficient and proper management to avoid undesired situations that could result in its collapse.

He said a roadmap on developing the aviation sector to improve its contribution to the growth of Ghana’s economy was being prepared and it would soon be ready to propel government’s plan for the sector.

BY CLAUDE NYARKO ADAMS