Secretary to the Asogli state Council, Mr. Stephen Tetteh in a signed press release on behalf of the Asogli State has reproved claims made by Koku Anyidoho in a widely circulated video targeted at Togbe Afede and his involvement in issues surrounding the Ho Airport.
The release described Mr. Anyidoho’s claims as baseless allegations which were politically motivated and a deliberate attempt to damage the image of Togbe Afede and the Asogli State Council.
Started under the vision of the erstwhile NDC Mahama led government, the Airport was intended to serve as a mean of opening the Volta Regions economy to the aviation industry whilst serving the people of the region and various passengers with domestic flights within the country.
The Ho Airport Project commenced in September 2015 and was completed in September 2018 with features which included 1,990 meters long and 30 meters wide runway, an aircraft packing area, a terminal building with a capacity of at least 150,000 passengers annually, road network of nine kilometers among many other amenities with a vast parcel of land for future expansions.
Since its accomplishment and inspection for commercial use after several years, the Facility has only been used for Presidential flights and few other non-commercial services which has left the $25 million investment into a white elephant as there has been no commitment to running it.
Being a pilot, an entrepreneur and a concerned paramount chief, Togbe Afede commenced efforts to have an Aviation and Pilot Training School in the regional capital, a move that would grant the region so many opportunities in training Pilots and several aviation workers as well as compel the government to prioritize the operations of the now defunct airport.
According to the Asogli State Council, Togbe Afede as part of his negotiations with the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) “On June 26, 2023, through his company, paid GACL USD32,445 as a 30% deposit they demanded for land allocation at the Ho Airport”, Mr. Stephon Tetteh stated in the press release.
The release further went on to explain that, despite the negotiations and agreement reached between the stakeholders, no conscious efforts have been made by the airport authority to bring the dreams of the Asogli State to fruition.
“The state of the Ho Airport is not a result of the efforts of those who built it, but rather the negligence and lack of vision of those currently entrusted with decision making”, concluded the traditional state.
Togbe Afede (IX), Agbogbomefia of the Asogli state has consecutively expressed his disappointment in the current NPP government and the Ghana Airports Company Limited at several occasions for the disinterest they have shown towards developing the Airport for commercial use and for that matter failure to invest in the economic growth of the Volta Region.
The traditional state as well as the inhabitants of the Volta region firmly believe that, the Aviation school would be of great value to the region as it would eventually compel the GACL to commercialize the Airport, thereby creating more jobs, boosting the economy and tourism industry among many others in the region.
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