US$300 million Kumasi International Airport nears completion

Construction of a new terminal building and other ancillary works at the Kumasi Airport is nearing completion, a visit by AviationGhana to the facility has revealed.

In June 2018, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo cut the sod for the second phase of the expansion of Kumasi Airport, which is expected to be completed in 24 months.

The project, valued at about US$300 million, comprised the extension of the runway from 1,981m to 2,300m to accommodate Boeing 737-800 series aircraft, construction of a new two-story ultra-modern terminal, construction of additional aprons, restaurants, shopping and parking areas, and a ring road around the airport.

It’s expected that the new terminal will have the capacity to handle one million passengers per annum.

The expansion project was part of the multi-modal transportation system being developed by the government to enhance tourism in the Ashanti Region.

Kumasi, the Ashanti regional capital, is the busiest domestic destination and it is served by both PassionAir and Africa World Airlines (AWA).

PassionAir and AWA, for instance, operate 20 flights per day between Accra and Kumasi. Industry data show that in 2019, a total of 16,499 people travelled by air between the two cities.

Tourism in Ashanti Region

The Ashanti Region is the most populous and one of the fastest-growing regions in the country, with an estimated population of 4million.

Kumasi, the Ashanti regional capital, has historically been an important reference for the use of Adinkra symbols and craftsmanship. With sprawling vegetation cover, the city is an important tourist destination noted for its commerce, mining and handicrafts.

Over the past two decades there has been rapid growth in commercial activities in the city, chiefly because of its ideal location in the middle-belt of the country. After Accra, Kumasi is the second-largest city in Ghana in terms of size and population.

Traders, farmers and cattle owners from Brong Ahafo and the northern parts of Ghana bring their wares to large markets in Kumasi to sell every day.