Ghana and the Republic of Mexico are in discussions to operate direct flights to and from both countries. This arrangement is to bring a possible end to long and delayed transit flights which require passengers to make three stops before finally arriving at their various destinations.
Speaking to Goldstreet Business after a meeting with the Mexican Ambassador, the Deputy Minister for Aviation, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah said, “by the end of the year, we should be able to initial the agreement, and then send it to cabinet.”
He added that once the agreement has been initiated, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that would start the operations.
The Mexican Ambassador Maria de Los Angeles Arriola Aguirre also noted that completion of the construction of a new airport in Mexico, will facilitate this plan, adding, “the signing the agreement on aviation with Ghana would ensure that in the near future, when our new airport is ready we can think about having direct flights to connect Africa through Ghana with Mexico with the rest of continent.”
She then presented a letter to officially request the aviation minister to start a high-level technical conversion by the Mexican embassy and Ghana.
In response, Minister for Aviation, Joseph Kofi Adda stated government’s readiness for the collaboration between both countries.
In 2017, Mexico began constructing an international airport with the capacity of 95 million visitors per year, at a cost of about US$ 13 billion. This is expected to be completed in 2021. Whereas Ghana’s new Terminal 3 at the Kotoka international airport (KIA) has the capacity of handling 5 million passengers a year, with an expansion potential of up to 6.5 million, at an estimated US$ 274 million.
By Joshua W. Amlanu