…other areas of collaboration in the works
In an effort to break into the lucrative Accra-London route, government is in talks with South African Airlines (SAA), to operate that route, Minster for Aviation, Cecilia Abena Dapaah has revealed.
She further disclosed that her ministry is engaging two other airlines in this regard to ensure this desire is realised.
Dapaah made this known, when the South African High Commissioner to Ghana, Lulama Xinguana, paid her a courtesy call at the ministry.
Xinguana also indicated that her country is looking at partnership opportunities in Ghana to setup a plant to produce buses.
Xinguana opined that this will, to a large extent, alleviate traffic jams and ultimately bring about jobs for people in the country.
She disclosed that currently there is healthy relations between the airport company of South Africa and GACL, as well as SAA.
In some few weeks, the CEO of SAA is expected to be visiting Ghana for an aviation conference. To this effect, the High Commissioner hoped that, this would lead to a further discussion on collaborations between both countries in the aviation sector.
She was grateful to the country for giving South Africa the right to operate the Washington (USA) route from Accra.
“We are doing very well with the Washington route. It is the most successful route throughout, in terms of the SAA,” Xinguana said.
Currently, a 10-member technical team from Transnet International Holdings, a South African rail and logistics firm, is in the country to carry out an assessment of the country’s rail infrastructure within the western enclave, regarding its present condition with the mind to resuscitating the lines
The High Commissioner noted that, the reconstruction works will also come with training for young Ghanaians, so that once it has been installed and running, Ghanaians can manage it.
The technical team is further expected to gain a full understanding of the requirements of the Ghana Railways Company Limited (GRCL) for success.
After the Western Region inspection, the team will return to Accra for similar site inspections in Tema and Nsawam.
By Joshua W. Amlanu