Accra, Dec. 20, - Government says plans to restore Ghana Airways are intended not only to rekindle national pride but also to anchor the country’s economic reset and deepen engagement with the African diaspora, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has stated.
Mr Ablakwa said the proposed revival of the national carrier was grounded in sound economic reasoning and a Pan-African outlook that prioritised connectivity, investment and self-reliance as pillars of national development, rather than sentiment.
He made the remarks at the closing session of the 2025 Diaspora Summit in Accra.
According to the Minister, the absence of a national airline had contributed to substantial capital flight, particularly during major international gatherings that attracted large numbers of diaspora visitors to Ghana.
He noted that revenues from air tickets for such events were largely captured by foreign carriers and economies, depriving Ghana of the opportunity to retain and reinvest those resources domestically.
“Consider the thousands who travelled for this Diaspora Summit. If those tickets had been purchased through our own airline, the proceeds would have remained within the Ghanaian economy,” he said.
Mr Ablakwa explained that a viable national carrier would enable the country to convert travel-related expenditure into direct support for national growth and development.
Beyond revenue retention, he said the restoration of Ghana Airways would improve accessibility for Africans in the diaspora through targeted incentives, including discounted fares for major national and Pan-African programmes.
Such measures, he said, would promote more frequent travel, strengthen interpersonal and cultural ties, and expand diaspora participation in Ghana’s development agenda.
The Minister disclosed that a Technical Committee set up by President John Dramani Mahama to assess the feasibility of reviving the airline was close to completing its assignment.
He assured that Government was committed to ensuring the airline’s return would be commercially sustainable, professionally managed and shielded from the operational weaknesses that had affected similar initiatives in the past.
Mr Ablakwa described Ghana Airways as more than a transport business, saying its re-establishment would signal confidence in the country’s capacity to manage complex national institutions effectively.
He linked the project to Ghana’s wider Pan-African and diaspora strategy, observing that stronger air connectivity would position the country as a strategic gateway between Africa and its global diaspora.
Improved and affordable travel options, he added, would stimulate tourism, trade, cultural exchange and cross-border investment.
The Minister said the airline initiative would complement other policies designed to strengthen diaspora relations, including the planned introduction of an e-visa regime in the first quarter of 2026.
Under the proposed system, special arrangements would be extended to Africans in the diaspora to ease travel procedures and reduce associated costs.
He said the combined effect of a revitalised national airline and a streamlined visa framework would substantially reduce barriers to diaspora engagement, facilitating return, investment and collaboration.
Mr Ablakwa emphasised that Ghana’s economic reset agenda would advance alongside its pursuit of reparatory justice, stressing that the two were mutually reinforcing rather than contradictory.
While maintaining advocacy for restitution and historical accountability, he said Government would continue to apply its resources prudently to stimulate domestic development and create opportunities for the youth.
He added that the overarching objective was to establish a resilient and competitive airline capable of serving Ghana’s strategic national and continental interests.
GHBUSS
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