The quest for a home-based carrier for Ghana is expected to gain support from the Despite Group of Companies, an AviationGhana report has revealed.
According to the portal, Dr. Osei Kwame ‘Despite’ and his partner, Ernest Ofori Sarpong, have teamed up to partner government towards establishing a new home-based airline.
It is expected that the carrier will operate under the brand name; ‘Ashanti Airlines’ which has already acquired an Air Carrier Licence (ACL).
According to AviationGhana, the partners have further submitted all required documentation for the first phase of the regulatory processes leading to the granting of an Air Operator Certificate (AOC).
The two licenses, per the report, are required by the aviation sector regulator, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) in order to operate as an airline in Ghana.
“Their proposal looks good and ambitious. The good thing is that they are not waiting to just partner with the government, they are going ahead with all processes to start operations in Ghana as an airline,” a source with knowledge on the matter is quoted by AviationGhana.
It is said that partners of Ashanti Airlines have so far made their intention known to government through the Committee established by the Minister for Transport, Kweku Ofori Asiamah, and is meant to vet all proposals for the home-based carrier.
If all goes through, Ashanti Airlines will become one of the two local-investor-backed companies seeking to partner government in its bid to re-establish a home-based carrier.
The other potential local partner is however named, JNH Group.
Meanwhile, following the collapse of Ghana Airways in 2004 due to an array of challenges, Ghana has been without a national airline for international travel activities.
But after several attempts to re-establish a new national carrier, Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta during the 2022 budget statement hinted at plans to kickstart operations this year [2022].
”As part of Government pursuit to make Ghana the Aviation Hub for the West African Sub-region, the Ministry is at its final stage of negotiations with the selected strategic partner for the establishment of the home-based carrier. It is expected that the negotiation will be finalized and the airline established in 2022,” Ken Ofori-Atta told Parliament.