Plans to establish a national airline in Ghana are set to gain significant momentum as the government prepares to inaugurate a high-level task force to oversee and accelerate the process.
This development marks a renewed commitment by authorities to revive Ghana’s aviation aspirations after years of stalled efforts to launch a new flagship carrier.
Ghana has been without a national airline for nearly two decades, following the suspension of operations due to a U.S. ban triggered by mounting operational debts. The original state-owned carrier, Ghana Airways, operated from 1958 until its collapse in 2004. It was succeeded by Ghana International Airlines, which operated between 2005 and 2010 before also shutting down.
Efforts to revive the national airline gained fresh traction in September 2022, when Ashanti Airlines was announced as the government’s strategic partner in the initiative.
The move rekindled hopes for the re-launch of a rebranded ‘Ghana Airlines’ and attracted interest from multiple stakeholders.
The new task force, to be inaugurated under the directive of President John Dramani Mahama and led by the Ministry of Transport, is expected to generate fresh investor interest and foster strategic partnerships within the aviation sector.
Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe earlier this year indicated that the government is actively seeking collaborative partnerships to realize the national airline project, acknowledging that the country’s current economic constraints make it difficult to pursue the initiative independently.
