Accra, Oct. 15, GNA - President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has called on African countries to incorporate cutting-edge technology into the design and operations of airports to shape the future of the continent’s aviation transport industry.
He said the application of digital innovation and automation was a priority if airports in Africa were to compete with their counterparts across the world.
President Akufo-Addo made the call when he opened the 28th General Assembly and regional Conference and exhibition of the Airports Council International (ACI) Africa in Accra on Tuesday.
On the theme “Smart Airports of the Future, Are we ready?, the two-day event, hosted by the Ghana Airports Company, brought together 300 high level participants including; global aviation experts, airport executives, and leaders from the public and private sectors to network, share information and develop a common vision for the future of airport activities in Africa.
The meeting will focus on leveraging technology to bring innovative solutions to issues of capacity, security, resource optimisation and passenger experience.
President Akufo-Addo disclosed that the aviation industry, under his administration, witnessed steady and impressive growth as a result of the policy decision to dedicate a ministry to the sector.
That decision, he indicated, made Ghana's airports competitive, with the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) being adjudged by the ACI as the best in West Africa and the fourth best on the Continent, an endorsement of his government’s strong policy initiative.
The President mentioned a number of projects in the sector that were completed across the country under his administration, indicating that new passenger terminals were being constructed at the Kumasi and Tamale Airport, with that of Sunyani also undergoing rehabilitation to augment the KIA.
Attributing the significant growth of Ghana's Aviation industry to the stable political and socio-economic climate of the country, President Akufo-Addo said both domestic and international passenger volumes had increased significantly.
"We have liberalised the regulatory framework with which the industry used to operate. We have abolished the 17.5 per cent VAT on domestic air fares and this resulted in almost a double of the domestic air passenger traffic," he said, adding that international passenger numbers also went up 6.7 percent this year.
"Currently, 38 airlines are operating in Ghana and they connect directly to 30 different destinations around the world," he said and noted that the aviation industry contributed US$2.7 billion and US$2.5 billion in 2017 and 2018 respectively.
The President disclosed that the Aviation Ministry initiated an Aviation Driven Development that sought to make the industry a key driver of the county's socio-economic transformation.
"Our airport will continue to undergo systematic facelifts through infrastructure rehabilitation. We will open up with the construction of additional airports to serve as feeders to the Kotoka airport," he said.
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