Ashanti Airlines is set to commence operations in Ghana as it nears the completion process for the acquisition of its Air Operators Certificate (AOC), an AviationGhana report has disclosed.
The airline is owned by celebrated Ghanaian business moguls, Osei Kwame Despite and his partner, Dr. Ernest Ofori Sarpong.
According to the AviationGhana report, Ashanti Airlines’ decision to operate in Ghana requires that it secures an Air Carrier Licence (ACL) [which it has already acquired] and an Airport Operator Certificate (AOC).
The two licenses are mostly required by the aviation industry regulator; Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) before an airline can commence operations in Ghana.
Currently, Ashanti Airlines is coordinating with the GCAA for the final stages of its AOC process.
The decision by the owners of Ashanti Airlines to operate in Ghana comes after they made presentations in January this year to the committee established by the Minister of Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah.
The presentation was to vet all proposals from potential investors seeking to partner government in its bid to establish a home-based carrier.
In recent development, Government is set to name the choice of partner for the establishment of a home-based carrier by the end of July this year.
According to a source familiar with the matter, “They are firming up the details and by July government will make known the choice of preferred partner.”
So far, there are four main proposals on the table for government to consider. These are Ashanti Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Egypt Air and JHN Group.
But AviationGhana sources say Ashanti Airlines is most likely to be named the preferred choice to partner government.
“From the look of things, they are very likely to get it [partner government for the establishment of the home-based carrier],” the source is quoted by the portal.
Meanwhile, following the collapse of Ghana Airways in 2004, Ghana has been without a national airline for international travel activities.
Despite several attempts to re-establish a new national carrier in the past, Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta during the 2022 budget statement hinted at plans to kickstart operations this year [2022].
Dr. Osei Kwame 'Despite' and his business partner Dr. Ernest Ofori Sarpong