According to an AviationGhana report, the Despite Group of Companies is expected to support Ghana’s quest for a home-based carrier.
According to the portal, Dr. Osei Kwame ‘Despite’ and his partner, Ernest Ofori Sarpong, have joined forces to work with the government to establish a new domestic airline.
The carrier is expected to operate under the brand name ‘Ashanti Airlines,’ which has already obtained an Air Carrier Licence (ACL).
According to AviationGhana, the partners have also submitted all of the necessary documentation for the first phase of the regulatory processes leading to the issuance of an Air Operator Certificate (AOC).
According to the report, the two licenses are required by Ghana’s aviation regulator, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), in order to operate as an airline in Ghana.
“Their proposal appears to be good and ambitious. “The good news is that they are not just waiting to partner with the government; they are moving forward with all processes to start operations in Ghana as an airline,” a source familiar with the situation told AviationGhana.
According to reports, Ashanti Airlines’ partners have so far informed the government of their intentions through the Committee established by the Minister of Transport, Kweku Ofori Asiamah, to vet all proposals for the home-based carrier.
If everything goes as planned, Ashanti Airlines will be one of two local investor-backed companies vying to work with the government to re-establish a home-based carrier.
JNH Group is the name of the other potential local partner. Meanwhile, since the demise of Ghana Airways in 2004 due to a variety of issues, Ghana has been without a national airline for international travel.
However, after several attempts to re-establish a new national carrier, Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta hinted during the 2022 budget statement that operations would begin this year [2022].
“As part of the government’s effort to establish Ghana as the Aviation Hub for the West African Sub-region, the Ministry is in the final stages of negotiations with the chosen strategic partner for the establishment of the home-based carrier
The negotiation is expected to be completed and the airline established in 2022,” Ken Ofori-Atta told Parliament.
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