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Its historic and a clear case of direct impact of the massive investment in infrastructure by the Mahama administration.

The Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Shaributu who witnessed the official inauguration of the first flight for 500 pilgrims who flew directly to Jedda from the Tamale International Airport, Saudi Arabia simply described John Mahama as ‘God sent”.

So far 1,500 pilgrims have successfully been airlifted from the expanded airport and the remaining Ghanaian pilgrims embarking on their spiritual journey to the Holy Land will leave the country from the Kotoka International Airport.

The policy decision by President John Mahama has been described as one major initiative that re-affirms the NDC’s bondage with the Muslim Community.

Prior to his departure to Tamale to inaugurate the flight, President John Mahama reminded the Muslim community in Kokompe, a suburb of Takoradi about his party’s track record.

“Former President Jerry Rawlings was passionate about developing Zongo communities. He established two holidays, Idhl Adha and Idhl Fitr to mark to major events on the Muslim calendar and he established the Islamic Education Unit to give priority to training Muslim youth. Under late President Atta Mills, the NDC established the Hajj Village to accommodate prospective pilgrims who hitherto under the NPP regime spend days on the tarmac at Kotoka under harsh conditions to catch their flights. Today, people up North and Brong Ahafo can easily do so from the Tamale Airport”  …he told the cheering crowd.

President Mahama has also disclosed plans to build two new airports at Cape Coast and Bolgatanga.

According to him, the Aviation industry is growing rapidly and Ghana needs to embark on massive aviation infrastructure across the country to meet demand his vision of ensuring that every region in Ghana gets an airport is in line with government’s transformation agenda.

“These are not the only airports we are working on. Phase two of the Kumasi airport expansion will kick off next year. It will involve the extension of the Kumasi airport runaway to accommodate wide bodied jets. We will construct an additional terminal building at the airport so that we can handle the growing amount of traffic that is developing at that airport. We also intend to rehabilitate the runway of the Sunyani airport to facilitate takeoff and landing of aircrafts there and we are conducting a feasibilities study for the cape-coast and Bolgatanga airports. The construction of these facilities will see a takeoff of aviation in this country and you are aware already, the aviation and passenger traffic continues to increase year on year.  This will serve as an economic growth nod and there by generate more jobs and improve the local economy” said the President.

The President also spoke about plans to expand the Tamale International Airport, says the conversion of the Tamale airport into an Aerotropolis, which will be a major hub to service the airline industry in the sub region.

The planned airport city will provide one stop airport support facilities including hotels, conferencing facilities, shops, restaurants among others. 


The Tamale airport is now equipped with an extended runway (3,940metres) and a complete lighting system to accommodate bigger aircraft.

He added that the ongoing construction of Terminal three of the Kotoka International Airport, when completed it will turn KIA into one of the most modern terminal buildings in the whole of West Africa.

…“Work on the Ho aerodrome which preferably is called Ho airport is also ongoing. We expect the runway to be completed before the end of this year and the terminal building will be completed early next year. We also expect the flight to begin operating from the WA airfields in the next few months. In the next few months it should be possible to catch a flight from WA to the other parts of the country.. This fits into my economic transformation and livelihood empowerment program to be pursued in my second and final term in office Insha Allah” he added.