The Hon Minister for Aviation Mr. Joseph Kofi Adda has said, the rehabilitation of the Wa Airport was completed in 2019 with the Assessment of the Pavement Classification Number (PCN) as the final activity conducted on the runway and this subsequently paved way for Africa World Airlines (AWA) to start operations in October, 2019.
He made these known when the Wa Central lawmaker Dr. Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo asked when regular flights to and from Wa will take off at the airport.
The Aviation Minister explain that the main obstacles faced by the Wa Airport at the start of operations were the siting of eight (8) communication masts in the airspace/approach path around the Airport.
He said, the masts are owned by Ghana Broadcasting Corpoation (GBC), Poupeli FM, W955 FM, Radio Upper West, Vodafone, and Helios (used by Airteltigo). These masts penetrated the Obstacle Limitation Surface (OLS) for the Wa Airport.
Mr Adda said, the solution to the situation is that, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority in a letter dated 20th January, 2020 accordingly directed the owners of the masts to remove it within fifteen (15) working days in the interest of safety of aircraft operations. The letter further stated that failure to comply with the directive will compel the Authority to remove the masts at a cost to the operators and summary conviction and fine to be paid in accordance with the Ghana Civil Aviation Act. It must be stated that these same letters were copied to the Upper West Regional Minister and the National Security Coordinator.
Mr. Adda, hinted, none of the owners of the masts has since responded to the directive and so the authority was collaborating with the appropriate agencies to remove the masts and surcharge the owners before the outbreak COVID-l9 pandemic stalled the process. In this regard, the GCAA has resumed its collaboration with the appropriate agencies to get the masts removed as soon as practicable.
