Accra, Dec. 20, — The planned revival of Ghana Airways will symbolise renewed national pride and play a strategic role in Ghana’s economic reset and engagement with the African diaspora, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has stated.
Speaking at the closing session of the 2025 Diaspora Summit in Accra, he said the decision to restore a national carrier was informed not by nostalgia but by sound economic reasoning and a Pan-African vision that prioritised connectivity, investment and self-reliance in national development.
Mr Ablakwa explained that the absence of a national airline had led to substantial capital flight, especially during major international events attracting large numbers of diaspora visitors. Revenues from ticket sales, he said, largely accrued to foreign airlines rather than being retained and reinvested in Ghana’s economy.
He said the operation of a national carrier would convert such expenditures into direct contributions to national growth. He added that the restored airline would also facilitate travel for Africans in the diaspora, enabling targeted incentives such as discounted fares for major national and Pan-African events, thereby fostering stronger people-to-people ties.
The Minister disclosed that a Technical Committee established by President John Dramani Mahama to assess the feasibility of restoring Ghana Airways was nearing completion of its work. Government, he said, was committed to ensuring that any revived airline would be sustainable, professionally managed and shielded from the weaknesses that affected previous ventures.
He said Ghana Airways would represent more than an aviation business, symbolising renewed confidence in the country’s capability to manage major state enterprises. The airline project, he noted, was closely aligned with Ghana’s Pan-African and diaspora engagement agenda by improving connectivity and positioning Ghana as a preferred gateway between the continent and its global diaspora.
He added that enhanced accessibility and affordability of travel would stimulate tourism, trade, cultural exchanges and investment flows. The revival of the airline, he said, would complement the proposed e-visa policy expected in the first quarter of 2026, under which special arrangements would ease travel for Africans in the diaspora.
Mr Ablakwa said the combination of an efficient national airline and simplified visa processes would significantly lower barriers to diaspora engagement, supporting return, investment and collaboration. He stressed that Ghana’s economic reset would advance alongside its pursuit of reparatory justice, with both objectives reinforcing rather than contradicting each other.
He noted that government would continue to use resources prudently to drive domestic development and create opportunities for young people, while building a resilient airline capable of competing effectively and serving Ghana’s national and continental interests.
GHBUSS
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