Back on August 15, 2019, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo cut the sod for the Tamale Airport Project’s second phase. Its construction then began in March 2022, with a total cost of approximately $70 million. with financing from the UK Export Finance facility and KfW IPEX-Bank of Germany. Thereafter, the project completed the development works in September 2022.
The project features a 5,000 square meters airport that includes a single carriageway access road. Additionally, its development works constructed power, sewerage, and water infrastructure that are necessary for normal operations. Moreover, it boasts an annual passenger throughput of 400,000 capacity.
Within the Northern region, especially, the project will boost the local economy, investment, and tourism. Alhaji shanai alhassan shaibu, the Northern Regional Minister officially announced the project’s milestone achievement. The announcement was made during a pressing engagement at the Ministry of Information.
Reported On 07 Oct 2015
Ghana: Tamale Airport project needs more funding
The project Manager in charge of Civil Works of the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), Mr. Emmanuel Mends Fynn has said that the $100 million set by parliament for upgrading and expansion of Tamale Airport in Ghana to an international status is not enough.
He said this during last week’s briefing of members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Roads and Transport and said that the initial funding amount was based on initial estimates, but variations in the scope of work have caused changes.
However, he said that the number of additional funds required to complete the project will be determined in due course when the designs are completed but changes would not interfere with the complete schedule of September 2015.
The increase in funding would come on due to the total reconstruction of the runway as well as other works. The Tamale airport upgrade and expansion project started in September last year and sought to improve it to international standards. It would accommodate bigger aircraft and admits international flights.
The chairman of the committee Mr. Michael Boampong expressed their satisfaction with the progress and urged GACL to submit the new cost of the project to Parliament for approval, to make sure the Tamale airport upgrading and expansion project was completed as scheduled.
Brazilian group Queiroz Galvão is expanding the runway and upgrading the passenger terminal of the city airport.
Reported On 08 June 2017
Tamale to become a hub for air transport in West Africa
The Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) is putting policies and structures in place to make Tamale a hub of air transport in West Africa. SADA CEO Charles Abugre made the announcement during his presentation of the Tamale and Buipe infrastructure plans to some stakeholders in Accra, Ghana.
In outlining reasons for making the Northern capital a hub of air transport services in West Africa, Mr. Abugre stated that people will get to save more time journeying from Tamale to Europe as compared to any other part of the country.
Pushing On
The geographical location of Tamale had positioned the town to be on the flight path to Europe hence saving more than an hour of travel.
“First of all, Tamale is a one and half hour maximum by flight to virtually every West African destination. It is on the flight path to Europe so when you take off in Tamale you actually save more than an hour going up to Europe,” said Abugre.
He further stated that the town had a lot of bare lands and open space to operate which could develop the air services and maintenance successfully.
“The area is dried up and does not have the humidity problems of Accra or Kumasi and aircraft maintenance requires very dry conditions making the town very ideal for air transport,” he added.
The aircraft maintenance was normally done up higher in the hills or around desert conditions making Tamale’s conditions excellent for aircraft maintenance.
According to Charles Abugre, the plan is part of the city’s design for Tamale and the project is called the tamale airport city and industrial hub which includes aircraft maintenance and aircraft services.
However, once the services have been included in the hub, light aircraft will be allowed to fly across West Africa adding that as the logistics were inclusive, cargo going to other parts of the world will be easier to take off from Tamale.
“Slowly when you provide the logistics cargo going to other parts of the world will be easier to take off from Tamale than anywhere else,” he said.
Reported On 17 Nov 2015
Ghana’s Tamale airport upgrade to commence by end of July
The upgrade of the Tamale airport will commence by end of July 2014. This was revealed by the Deputy Minister for Transport Joyce Bawah Mogtari during the Citi breakfast show. She said that the US$100m Tamale airport project is being undertaken because of land availability.
However, the government will still go ahead with the plans of upgrading the Kumasi Airport to international standards. The Ghana Airports Company is at present upgrading the existing runway at Kumasi airport.
The government said the delay in upgrading the Kumasi airport to a lack of space and encroachment. The attribution was a result of emerging questions as to why the government has decided on building an international airport in Tamale regardless of the considerable traffic at the Kumasi airport. In the meantime, the government has announced the plan of setting up an Aviation fuel depot in Tamale.
Reported On 14 Aug 2021
Tamale Airport phase three construction to commence soon, Ghana
The government of Ghana represented by Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, the Minister for Transport and Aviation has announced plans to commence Tamale Airport phase three construction. The project strives to give the facility international status.
Phase three construction works will involve expanding the main multipurpose terminal (approximately 5,508 square meters). The development is a part of the second phase and some other facilities.
The cost of the phase three construction works
The cost of the phase three construction works is yet to be known. However, the Minister said that the technical experts from the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority and the Ghana Airports Company Limited are working hand in hand with the contractors, QGMI, a Brazilian construction firm, and the project consultant, Ecobuild Consult to determine the cost of the proposed works.
He said that the government will immediately look for funds to finance the project, explaining that undertaking the two phases simultaneously will be economically viable and profitable.
“The project consultant said that we carry out the two phases concurrently as we did for Kumasi Airport. This will be viable, it will be profitable, and there will be less cost for us.”
Work done so far in the second phase of construction
The Tamale Airport phase two construction is currently 57 percent complete overall. Among the facilities that have undergone inspection were the project design, the main terminal, a multipurpose building, bulk utility, and the access road and car park. They are 80%, 57%, 61%, 41%, and 38% complete respectively.
The bulk utility comprises an underground firefighting reservoir, a portable water tank, and a wastewater treatment system.
“Per the briefings I’ve had and having gone to the project site to inspect the facilities in person, I can confidently say that the project will be complete on schedule”, said the Ghanaian Minister for Transport and Aviation.
Reported On 15 Aug 2021
Ghana to start construction of phase II of Tamale Airport
Ghana is preparing to start construction of phase II of the Tamale Airport. This is after the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo cut the sod to launch the project. The project, estimated to cost US $70m is being financed by the UK Export Finance facility and KfW IPEX-Bank of Germany. President Akufo affirmed that advance mobilization has been done for payment to the contractors.
Phase II Tamale Airport project
Works include the construction of a modern, new International terminal building together with a multi-purpose Hajj facility, and other ancillary facilities. The project will encompass the design of the following elements for the scope of works; construction of a modular airport terminal building of approximately 5,000 square meters, which is expandable in the future.
Additionally, the construction of a Hajj facility of approximately 1,000m2; construction of a single carriageway access road; construction of landside and the airside infrastructure adapted to the terminal size. The Tamale International Airport, when complete, will also serve as a complement to the Accra Kotoka International Airport.
According to the president, the airport will provide the needed impetus for increased economic and trading activities. It will reinforce the status of Tamale as a sub-Saharan hub for flights to and from neighboring West African countries and the Sahel Region.
Increasing domestic aviation activities
Significantly, the completion of the project will make Tamale the center of Hajj-related activities in the country. It will facilitate seamless travels from Ghana directly to Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage to Mecca.
The project will be completed in 30 months. As a part of the Government’s resolve to increase domestic aviation activities, the President indicated that a host of other projects are ongoing, and these include Phases 2 and 3 of Kumasi Airport, and the rehabilitation of Sunyani Airport.
