With a focus on tourism and aviation excellence, the facility would become Africa’s foremost centre for large-scale repair of aircraft and training of personnel to provide rapid response when disasters occur.

The move is in tandem with government’s economic transformation agenda to give a strong boost to intra-Africa trade through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Mr Leslie Alex Ayeh, a Senior Partner at Ayeh and Ayeh, the Consultant working on the cargo airport, gave the hint at a stakeholder’s forum in Cape Coast on Wednesday to deliberate on the state of work done.

He said the project would facilitate tourism, trade, and connectivity to generate economic growth, jobs, alleviate poverty and improve living standards.

With the strategic location of Ghana in global trade, the facility would become a vehicle by converging the 54 African countries into a single market of 1.3 billion people through the AfCFTA.

Mr Ayeh said a focus on more intra-African trade in industrial goods would promote Ghana’s industrialisation and the advancement of its manufacturing sector, providing more employment opportunities for the growing youth population.

It would also entice global business giants to participate in ready market due to the prime location of the region.

Touching on the siting of the project at Komenda instead of Cape Coast, Mr Ayeh explained that a baseline study of geographical, topographical, and layouts in six different locations; comprising two each in Takoradi, Komenda, and Cape Coast, identified the best location to be Komenda.

“An in-depth spatial survey was carried out on these sites and Komenda site one was chosen as the best location based on social, environmental, and economic indices,” he said.

The Takoradi-Cape Coast Highway would be converted into a double carriageway to ease commuting challenges as part of the project.

Relatedly, a railway line would be constructed to link the two cities to carry goods to and from the Cape Coast Airport to the Takoradi Harbour.

On educational benefits, he said an aviation school would be established to provide air transport training for effective civil aviation management services.

Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, the Central Regional Minister, called for the unalloyed support of all stakeholders to make the project a reality.

She said considering the enormous socioeconomic benefits, it remained pivotal to turning the fortune of the region around.

Arranged by the Regional Coordinating Council, the forum was graced by officials from the Environmental Protection Agency, Ghana Export Promotion Authority, Lands Commission, Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ghana Union of Traders Association, Ghana Water Company Ltd and the MMDAs among others.