Twum Boafo calls for revival of national airline, criticizes collapse of Ghana Airways
Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Intelligence Centre, Kwadwo Twum Boafo, has lamented the collapse of Ghana Airways, blaming the mismanagement and sale of its assets for the country’s lack of a national carrier.
According to him, it is a legitimate concern when the youth question why the country should invest in a new presidential jet instead of establishing a national airline.
“So when the young people ask us, that instead of buying a new aircraft, why don’t we start a new airline? I think it is a legitimate question”.
Speaking on Good Morning Ghana on Metro TV, Twum Boafo contrasted Ghana’s situation with that of Togo, which invested $40 million in 2009 to establish ASKY Airlines.
“Today, if you are going anywhere in this sub-region, you will fly ASKY, meanwhile, we collapsed Ghana Airways. Some people stole Ghana Airways’ assets, sold their aircraft, sold their engines, and even sold the Ghana Airways flats at Kwabenya to unscrupulous individuals.”
He noted that Ghana Airways, established under Kwame Nkrumah, once employed over 4,000 people and produced highly skilled pilots who are now serving major international airlines such as Ethiopian Airlines and Qatar Airways.
“ The Ghana Airways human resource is benefitting others. Our pilots are flying for other countries’ airlines because we failed to protect our own,” he stated.
Twum Boafo criticized the decision to sell Ghana’s valuable early morning slot at London’s Heathrow Airport and warned against allowing consultants like KPMG to discourage efforts to revive a national airline.
“Because of British Airways’ monopoly on the Accra–London route, business-class tickets cost over $5,000. If we had our own airline, competition would bring fairness to the system,” he argued.
He added that calls by young people to prioritize a national airline over purchasing a new presidential jet are legitimate, emphasizing the broader opportunities such an initiative could create for Ghana’s youth.
“We need to do right by the young people in this country. In essence, our lives have been lived but what about our children?” he stressed.
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