Ghana and Ivory Coast are collaborating to address major impediments in the area of aviation, that will bring about a major change in the operations of that industry in the sub-region.
This collaboration is in a bid to ensure a comprehensive approach to resolve key issues of fuel cost, as well as other taxes that constrain the opening up the aviation sector across the region.
This was revealed by the Minister for Aviation, Joseph Kofi Adda, in an interview with Goldstreet Business.
Mr. Adda said, “we are also hoping to engage the neighbouring countries – Ivory Coast, for instance, has offered to be part of us, in looking not only the fuel cost, but also the other levies, fees and charges and other taxes that impact on aviation activities in the region.”
He stated that there are a number of stakeholders, such as the Ministry of Finance involved in addressing the impediments.
The minister expects that by the mid of September the Ministry will come up with a clear position on how to deal with the issues.
Earlier this year, government assured the operators within the aviation industry of its efforts to address the high cost of aviation fuel, among other impeding issues.
According to the industry operators cost of aviation fuel is relatively much higher compared to the price offered by other countries in the sub-region aside what is offered in Nigeria.
Although government in recent years has reduced the price of aviation fuel by some 22 cent per litre, sector operators have questioned the competitiveness of the country compared to its neighbors in the sub-region.
Last year, the Aviation Minister Joseph Kofi Adda indicated that a committee led by the Ghana Airports Company has been set up to deal with aviation fuel pricing which is one of the high priority areas of concern to aviation operators.
The committee was expected to study what gets involved in the pricing of aviation fuel and how to get the price reduced.
Sector operators are of the view that, fuel being one of the high cost components for airlines, it would be a major determining factor for most airlines having made the decision to fly to West Africa, to choose Ghana as its operational hub within the sub region.