In 2022, the Akufo-Addo administration announced plans to launch a new national airline, Ghana Airlines. The new airline was to debut in 2023.
Ghana’s former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, announced the initiative in Parliament, saying, “Shareholders and partnership agreements were signed with the selected strategic partner for the home-based carrier, which will be known as Ghana Airlines.
The airline is expected to be operationalized in 2023.”
The airline was expected to launch by June 2023, but by the time June had arrived, there appeared to have been no progress made.
What Happened To The New Airline?
Ghana had taken steps to launch its new airline by awarding Ashanti Airlines and financial backers, Zotus Group, a tender to begin operations.
Ashanti Airlines is a subsidiary of the country’s Despite Group conglomerate, with the UK-based Zotus Group describing itself as “an organisation dedicated to the development of humanitarian projects and transforming Africa and third world countries”, with a portfolio spanning areas such as hydrocarbons, manufacturing, and agriculture.
The airline planned to start operations with domestic and regional routes, with long-haul services to destinations including London Heathrow and New York to follow.
Although the airline was expected to fully launch by Q2 2023, an article by Times Aerospace reported that the group has yet to be awarded its Airline Operator’s Certificate (AOC) by Ghana’s aviation regulator as of June 2023.
In the article, a Ghanaian airline executive, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed reservations over the deal.
“My understanding from Ghana CAA is that… they were given instructions by government to help Ashanti produce the [operating] manuals. The CAA was not willing to compromise its standards.
The government then said, ‘Right, if you won’t compromise, sit with them and help them with it,’ they said.
The executive also stated that Ashanti Airlines had been trying to get its AOC for six years, and their understanding was that the government had made possessing an AOC a prerequisite for being awarded the contract to set up the new national airline.
The executive added that the Ethiopian Air CEO, Tewolde GebreMariam, who had made a previous bid for Ghana’s national airline contract, had stopped communications with the government.
They stated that a previous experience of losing a deal to be a strategic partner with the country’s previous flag-carrier, Ghana International Airways, had soured relations.
The CEO had reportedly asked for guarantees that would give Ethiopian Air full control, but the government pushed back, and the deal fell through.
In 2024, the Daily Graphic, a Ghanaian publication, reported that Ghana’s new airline was basically “dead on arrival” since Ashanti Airlines Limited (AAL) had no aircraft, no license, and lacked the financial strength for the business.
According to the Graphic, a source within the National Airline Committee, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stated that the committee had lost confidence in AAL to revive Ghana’s national carrier dreams.
The source stated that the committee had initiated contacts with other airlines and firms that participated in the bidding process to resubmit improved bids, with hopes of getting a suitable partner to restore Ghana’s national airline.
A New Attempt To Revive Ghana’s National Airline
Ghana has been without a national airline since the collapse of Ghana International Airlines in 2010.
There had been efforts to restart operations with Ethiopian Airlines and EgyptAir eyed as potential partners.
The current Mahama administration has made plans to revive the national airline, with a high-level task force having been inaugurated to oversee and accelerate the process.
The task force is expected to finalize the airline’s business strategy, oversee regulatory compliance and certification, and facilitate key operational arrangements such as fleet acquisition, staffing, and route planning.
No current timeline has been announced for when the task force will complete its mandate.
