New Departure Hall For Kotoka Int'l Airport

The country's sole international airport, the Kotoka International Airport, will get a new and enlarged departure hall next year.

That will bring to two the number of halls dedicated to the handling of passengers departing from the country.

The move is expected to ease the pressure at the departure lounge of the country’s sole international airport where about 34 international airlines operate.

It is also expected to reduce the long queues by passengers and prevent theft which is fast becoming a source of worry for passengers.

The initiative, which was captured in the 2014 budget, is part of a scheduled expansionary works at the airport's terminal building aimed at positioning it to meet the consistent growth in the aviation industry.

The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr Seth Terkper, disclosed this when he presented the 2014 budget on November.

The minister added that a new concourse building to accommodate six new boarding gates with holding rooms, boarding bridges, retail and concession spaces, airline lounges, expanded halls for arrival, immigration and baggage claim area will also be constructed in the next fiscal year.

The six boarding gates will add to the existing four gates, thereby making it easier for passengers to be processed for travel.

The full implementation of the measures as announced in the budget is expected to help ease congestion at he KIA, which has not seen any major expansion projects over rather years.

Some airline operators the Graphic Business spoke with expressed delight at the intention of the government and expressed the hope that the project would come into fruition.

They described the present congestion at the departure lounge as chaotic and unacceptable for a middle income country such as Ghana. Meanwhile, the proposed new airport and expansion of the Tamale Airport to international status is also expected to take off, the minister added.

Source: Daily Graphic