The Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL) has commenced work on terminal two arrival hall expansion project at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
The airport has been facing some challenges, with the increased number of passengers that has exceeded the capacity of the airport infrastructure in the past couple of years. The departures and arrivals increased from 1.5million to 1.7million in 2011 and 2012 respectively, with domestic arrivals and departures increasing from 200,000 to 550,000 during the same period. However, the project is expected to add an additional 5,148m2 floor areas to the existing 6,031m2.
The first phase of the project is set to be completed by the end of the year, which will involve the construction of the expanded terminal area, the expansion of the immigration area and installation of extra immigration and customs desks. There would also be the provision and installation of two new baggage handling equipment for the arrival hall. The existing three have already been replaced with new ones with x-ray scanners.
As part of the expansion, there will be electrical, mechanical and plumbing works, including the installation of telecommunication systems, like telephones, public address and CCTV systems, air conditioning and signage works. The second phase will be the construction of the two top floors, which will serve as the airline and GACL staff offices.
The US$21.4m project is being funded through the internally generated funds of the GACL. The contract was awarded to Amandi Holdings Limited. ARG Africa will undertake the replacement of the escalator in the departure terminal and the installation of the second elevator. Delivery and installation of the equipment is expected to take six months.
KIA would see some major improvements in the coming months, as works are being done on various parts of the airport, with plans to build a new international departure terminal, to reduce the pressure on the existing one. The first phase for the construction of Terminal 3 which involved pre-qualification of interested firms for the construction, has been done, and is awaiting approval, after which the next phase; an invitation for technical and financial proposals would be implemented.
